A MAN will serve a jail term in the community after he was sentenced for running a teenage cyclist off the road and destroying his $10,000 bike in Armidale.
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James Victor Beard will have to perform 200 hours of community service, and be subject to counselling and supervision by authorities, as part of an intensive corrections order (ICO) for the road rage attack last year.
Beard appeared in Armidale Local Court for sentencing after admitting to a charge of driving recklessly or furiously or in a speed or manner dangerous, following an incident in Armidale on May 20.
Magistrate Michael Holmes said it was a serious incident that could have gravely injured the cyclist and warranted a term of imprisonment.
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In addition to the community jail term, Mr Holmes also disqualified Beard from driving for two years, immediately seizing his licence in court.
Beard, 29 at the time, was driving in a reckless or furious manner and collided with the teenager riding his bike about 1.30pm on Bundarra Road.
The 19-year-old Armidale cyclist was treated at the scene by paramedics for cuts and abrasions, but was not taken to hospital after the incident.
In the collision with the Jeep four-wheel-drive, the teen’s $10,000 Lapierre road bike was written off.
Beard was initially charged with two offences, but a charge of knowingly driving a vehicle in a manner that menaces another was withdrawn last year after his guilty plea.
The case had been adjourned from November to allow a victim impact statement from the cyclist to be prepared.