A road rage driver who tried to attack another car with a baton in moving traffic on the A14 near Ipswich has been jailed for nearly two years.

Wojciech Kwiatkowski stashed a "small arsenal", including a knife, axe, stun gun, baton, knuckle duster and pepper spray, inside the BMW he used to force Chloe Mower off the A14 on March 6.

The 39-year-old, of Bramford Lane, Ipswich, received 20 months' custody for dangerous driving and seven weapons charges at Ipswich Crown Court on Wednesday.

Miss Mower was overtaking between Claydon and Ipswich on her way to lunch with two colleagues when Kwiatkowski's car suddenly appeared in her mirror and began swerving to force her aside.

The warehouse worker cut in front and slammed the brakes as both cars entered the Whitehouse slip road, where he leapt out and forced Miss Mower into reversing to enable a getaway.

Kwiatkowski gave chase and tried to force the Mini onto a verge, while waving an extendable baton at the headlights.

At the next roundabout, he leapt out again, but Miss Mower was able to drive off and find a police car in Whitehouse Road.

Officers stopped Kwiatkowski's car and found a baton, a knuckle duster, a stun gun on the passenger seat, a knife and pepper spray in the driver's door, and a hatchet in the boot.

Kwiatkowski, who also had a flick knife in his jacket pocket, claimed the Mini driver gestured with her middle finger after pulling out with no indication.

Russell Butcher, mitigating, said Kwiatkowski was carrying the weapons through fear of attack by abusive former colleagues. He had previously described the weapons to police as "toys" for showing off.

Judge Rupert Overbury said there was no legitimate reason for carrying the "small arsenal".

"Miss Mower has been extremely traumatised," he added.

"She is unable to drive and does not feel safe. You are entirely responsible for taking a young woman's independence away."

He banned Kwiatkowski from driving for two years after release, and from making any contact with Miss Mower for five years.

After the hearing, Miss Mower, 21, said she had to leave work as a result of no longer driving.

"It's hard to explain what I was feeling at the time," she added.

"I just knew I had to get myself and the other girls out of there.

"If I hadn't found a police car, it would have kept going."