A TEENAGER found guilty of unleashing a series of punches on a young car driver will have to wear a tag and obey a curfew for four months.Magistrates ruled that James Clifford, of Trimley St Martin, deserved to be kept indoors between 8pm and 5am every day until mid-December after he punched Honda driver Mitchell Spink five times, leaving him with a split lip which needed stitches.

A TEENAGER found guilty of unleashing a series of punches on a young car driver will have to wear a tag and obey a curfew for four months.

Magistrates ruled that James Clifford, of Trimley St Martin, deserved to be kept indoors between 8pm and 5am every day until mid-December after he punched Honda driver Mitchell Spink five times, leaving him with a split lip which needed stitches.

Clifford, 19, of Meadow Close, was convicted of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a trial at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court in July.

He had denied approaching Mr Spink on January 11 and punching him but the magistrates did not accept his version of events.

During the trial the court was told that Clifford had sought retribution after his Fiat Punto was struck by another vehicle on January 9.

The altercation had involved youngsters who drove their cars around the area known as the Double D's in Ipswich, which is the one-way circuit bordered by Cardinal Park, Zest nightclub and Ipswich Crown Court.

Two days after the damage was caused to Clifford's car, Mr Spink's Honda Civic was stopped and boxed in by a Vauxhall Corsa and a Rover in Kingfisher Avenue.

Another car pulled up and that was soon followed by Clifford in his Fiat.

One of the drivers got out to speak to Mr Spink through an open window when, without saying anything, Clifford rained five blows down on him. He then walked away.

Clifford, an apprentice carpenter who lived in Church Lane, Walton, at the time of the attack, had believed Mr Spink had been involved in the collision which damaged his car.

After hearing from Clifford's lawyer about how upset he was over the guilty verdict, the magistrates ordered that he must wear a tag on his ankle and abide by the curfew as part of a community order.

They ordered him to pay £250 compensation to Mr Spink and instructed him to pay £364 in court costs.

Magistrate Cynthia Glinos said: “It was a group event and there were five punches.

“The main reasons for our sentence are for punishment and protection of the public.”