A father was sent to prison for nine months yesterday for a road rage attack that left a driver with a broken nose and a security guard with a blow to the head.

Eric Kenneth Dunkley, 29, was given nine months in jail after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm against Colm Mooney in February of this year, and three months for assaulting security officer Gladwin Edness, causing him actual bodily harm - a charge which he had denied.

The two sentences are to run concurrently.

Magistrate William Francis said earlier this week that he believed a hard line had to be taken against road rage incidents, particularly in cases such as Dunkley's, where the driver under attack had done absolutely nothing wrong.

"I said initially at the end of the hearing of this case that this matter warranted immediate imprisonment," said Mr. Francis.

"I do, as (Defence lawyer) Mr. Richard Hector asked me, give the accused credit for his guilty plea and co-operation with the Police.

"But I do still regard this case as serious. Having regard to the accused's antecedence, I feel an immediate prison sentence is warranted and I therefore sentence him to nine months on count one, and, on count two, three months, to run concurrently."

Magistrate's Court heard earlier how Dunkley, of Sugar Apple Lane, Pembroke, had been travelling at speed in a car he had borrowed from a friend along Harbour Road at about 12.30 a.m. on February 2.

As he tried to overtake Mr. Mooney's jeep, he collided with the rear of it, and the two vehicles came to a halt.

Mr. Mooney told the court that Dunkley then approached him as he remained in his car, and punched him in his jaw through the open window.

The victim, who was with his wife Elaine, took off in fear, with Dunkley on their tail.

Mr. Mooney said Dunkley chased them in his car until they decided to head up to the Southampton Princess Hotel in desperation.

There, they ran inside screaming for help, but Dunkley followed them to the reception desk and punched Mr. Mooney again in the face, this time breaking his nose.

The hotel's security officer Mr. Edness ran to assist Mr. Mooney, but he, too, was punched in the head, as well as kicked.

Soon after, Police arrived on the scene.

Throughout the trial, Dunkley denied that he had punched either of the men. He said metal plates in his hands prevented him from making a fist, but admitted that he had slapped Mr. Mooney at the hotel, and said a ring he was wearing at the time probably broke his nose.

The court heard how Dunkley, a father of a nine-year-old son, had paid $5,000 to repair both of the vehicles, instead of claiming on his friend's vehicle insurance.

After the sentence was handed down yesterday Dunkley said nothing, and both Mr. Edness and prosecutor Wayne Caines declined to comment. Mr. Mooney was not at court for the sentencing.