Canterbury Crown Court, where Edward and Kyra Yawe appearead

by Annette Wilson

A churchgoing couple who attacked a motorist with a krooklock during a road rage incident, hitting him over the back and head causing cuts and bruises, have both been jailed.

Paul Girardot and his wife were on their way to his sister-in-law's funeral when his car was kicked as he drove past Edward Yawe's vehicle.

He stopped to remonstrate with Yawe who told his wife Kyra to 'get the bar out' and walked towards Mr Girardot then hit out at him.

The victim got him in a head lock and the krooklock dropped.

Mrs Yawe then picked it up and beat Mr Girardot on back.

His watch had fallen off and as he bent to pick it up, he felt a blow to his head. He suffered bruises to his back and a graze to the top of his head and later needed treatment for a trapped nerve.

Before driving off, Yawe said he was going 'cut him him up and shoot him'.

The incident happened outside a primary school when children were present, said prosecutor Jonathan Polnay at Canterbury Crown Court.

The couple, of Dane Park, Margate both admitted assaulting Mr Girardot causing actual bodily harm in July last year. Yawe was jailed for 10 months, his wife for nine.

Judge Adele Williams told the couple it was a road rage incident and what happened was 'wholly unacceptable violence' which was too often the situation when there was an incident and a road user was assaulted because of something that happened in the road.

She said it was particularly traumatic because Mr Girardot was on his way to his wife's sister's funeral adding: "One only has to imagine the sort of feelings he had given this sort of incident."

Both Yawes had been in trouble before, Edward Yawe, 29, having a conviction for common assault and a caution.

His wife, 23, had a conviction for theft and caution for battery.

John Dye, for the couple, conceded it was an unpleasent incident which clearly crossed the custody threshold but fortunatly the injuries were not serious.

Edward Yawe had grown up on London before moving to Kent and had suffered various degrees of racism. As he was collecting his children, he was beeped and a car ran over his foot. He accepted his reaction was unacceptable.

"He kicked out at the car then the other driver came towards him and his family. He was racist and abusive towards him and he lost his self control and saw red," said Mr Dye.

But the Crown did not accept there was any racist abuse from Mr Girardot.

Mr Dye said Yawe would be suitable for community service and he was very sorry for the trouble he had caused. If his wife was jailed there would be nobody to look after their three young children.

"They are religious people who go every week to church and since July have had time to reflect on their actions."