'The guy’s a clown': ‘Road rage’ attacker laughs off crime outside court
A New South Wales man who launched himself onto a truck's windscreen during a road rage attack has been slapped with a $2500 fine.
Despite pleading guilty to menacing driving, Jihad Abi-Gaida, 38, laughed off his crime outside court, claiming there was "nothing violent" about it.
Truckie Jason Clenton was hauling 20 tonnes in a shipping container, driving a prime mover in June, at Milperra, west of Sydney.
Abi-Gaida cut him off in his Toyota Camry, on Henry Lawson Drive, and let fly. The incident was caught on Mr Clenton’s dashcam.
In court on Thursday, Abi-Gaida pleaded guilty to menacing driving.
The soon-to-be father of three tried to convince the magistrate to let him off, despite pleading guilty to road rage.
"There was nothing violent about it," Abi-Gaida argued.
"I don't know who he is or what he was, I was just on my way to work and he ran me off the road not once, not twice, but four times. Why would he do that? I don't know."
Abi-Gaida's lawyer pleaded with the court to let him off with no conviction and a two year good behaviour bond, saying he'd already suffered enough embarrassment in the media.
Despite this, the magistrate fined Abi-Gaida $2500, taking his licence for 12 months and recording a criminal conviction.
Abi-Gaida offered no remorse or apology for his crimes.
Asked if he had anything to say about the conviction, Abi-Gaida told 7 News outside court: “Nothing. The guy’s a clown, mate. He ran me off the road.”
