A man feared for his life when a quad bike was deliberately driven over his body in Kirkcaldy town centre.
Ryan Mitchell, was knocked to the ground by Sean Lawrence during a confrontation after he gestured to the rider of an off-road motorbike in the pedestrianised area, asking him to slow down.
Mr Mitchell, 32, had been celebrating his birthday with friends when the incident happened in the High Street on a Saturday evening.
He was rushed to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, amid paramedics’ concerns he had sustained serious back or leg injuries.
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Lawrence, 23, admitted assaulting him to his injury and to the danger of his life on July 13 and to driving while disqualified and without insurance.
Appearing from Perth prison, Lawrence, of Kirkcaldy, was jailed for 39 months and banned from driving for eight years.
Sheriff James Williamson told him: “This was frankly outrageous behaviour.
“The idea of taking a motorbike to a pedestrian area then intentionally running over a man going about his business is intolerable.”
Procurator fiscal depute Claire Bremner said Mr Mitchell had extended his foot towards the motorbike as it passed, but was still a couple of metres from it.
The riders returned to him and the court heard there was a confrontation.
As Lawrence drove towards him, Mr Mitchell put his hands on the front grill and fell to the ground as he was pushed backwards.
Ms Bremner said: “He remembers falling and the tyres of the quad bike driving over his legs and body up to his waist.
“Mr Mitchell was in severe pain. He felt his life was at risk. He described not being able to feel his legs and he was drifting in and out of consciousness.”
Mr Mitchell escaped serious injury but was off work for 12 weeks and was said to have suffered anxiety and depression as a result of the incident.
Police obtained a search warrant and found the bikes and helmets stashed in a shipping container at a yard in Hayfield Industrial Estate.
Solicitor David Bell said Lawrence and his friends had been messing about with their bikes at the yard and took them to the town centre “effectively as a dare”.
After an “exchange of words” with Mr Mitchell, he said his client drove towards him to give him a fright.
He said: “He did drive at him, I can’t dispute that, and he does end up on top of him. Mr Mitchell falls to the ground and the consequences of his actions have to be accepted by Mr Lawrence.”
Father-of-two Lawrence has previous convictions for assault and road traffic offending.
