Driver Deliberately Rams Motorbike Off Road In Fit Of Rage

18 November 2017, 17:36 | Updated: 28 October 2019, 15:21

He was jailed for a year.

A driver who deliberately crashed into a motorcycle in Brighton, injuring the rider and his passenger, has been jailed.

Mario Bove struck the rear of the black Honda CBR900RR with his silver Mercedes C320 in Eastern Road, at the junction of Church Place, on the afternoon of 27 June 2016.

The incident followed a verbal altercation between the parties involving the manner of Bove’s driving.

He then made off from the scene, leaving the rider, a local man then aged 26, and his passenger, a local woman then aged 20, with minor injuries.

The incident, which happened on the eastbound carriageway, was captured on CCTV.

The motorcyclist recognised Bove as the owner of a restaurant in Brighton, and he was further identified through his front number plate which fell off his vehicle following the collision.

On 26 June this year, Bove, 63, of Eastern Road, Brighton, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and two counts of assault causing actual bodily harm at Lewes Crown Court.

He was disqualified from driving immediately upon conviction pending sentencing, which was adjourned until a later date.

However, on 13 September, subsequent to his conviction and prior to sentencing, Bove was spotted driving the same vehicle through the city.

He was located and arrested in Eastern Road, and charged with driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

At Lewes Crown Court on 27 October, he was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 30 months. He must also take an extended retest if he wishes to regain his licence.

Officer in charge, Rose Horan, of the Brighton Investigations Team, said: “The motorcyclist and his young passenger, both local to Brighton, were lucky not to sustain very serious injury, as both were knocked into the path of oncoming traffic by Bove’s silver Mercedes, on what was quite a busy afternoon.

“After the incident, Bove immediately sped off down Rock Street, narrowly avoiding a car travelling in the opposite direction, but leaving his number plate behind on the road, which led to his arrest.”

The motorcyclist, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: “More than a year since the hit-and-run, we are both still suffering from our injuries and our mental state of mind. It has changed both mine and my girlfriend’s way of life, and even our day-to-day activities are affected; we have lost out on our hobbies such as swimming, long walks and motorcycle rides. It has also put pressure on our relationship.

“Bove showed no remorse, leaving the scene of the collision without a care in the world. We could have been dead or at least dying, and he wouldn’t even have known the consequences of his actions. He hit us off the bike on purpose to hurt us, and he achieved his goal. In doing so, he has jeopardised his own time and life with his own family, and his own business.

“Brighton and Hove Police have stood by me and my girlfriend every step of the way, with regular contact to see how we are getting on. We’d both like to thank the police, the medical support and bystanders for their work and caring.”