A judge has given an angry driver a suspended prison sentence after watching shocking CCTV footage of him driving at a woman with his Mitsubishi Shogun during a disturbance in Bingley town centre.

The recording of the incident on March 4 last year was shown during a hearing at Bradford Crown Court and Judge Colin Burn said the only explanation for James Duffy’s out of character behaviour that night was that he had been “riled up”.

The CCTV footage captured a large group of people fighting in Main Street and Judge Burn said it was clear that there was an altercation involving Duffy’s partner and the complainant.

“It is very clear from the footage, for anyone to see, that the complainant walked up, for some reason, behind your partner, seized her by the hair and pulled her backwards down onto the ground,” said the judge.

Duffy, 24, of Downside Crescent, Bradford, then got into his Shogun which was parked up close by and the judge said he had made the “mad decision” to drive along the pavement for about three metres.

The complainant managed to move out of the way of the Shogun and was said to have suffered only “minor injuries” before Duffy drove off.

“The only explanation for your behaviour must be that you were riled up, I suggest, by what had just happened because from everything I’ve read about you you are a person with a significant number of merits,” said Judge Burn.

Duffy, who had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and his barrister Gerald Hendron said his client had expressed genuine remorse over the incident.

“He has demonstrated a genuine remorse for the stupidity, wholly out of character, that took place in those few seconds,” said Mr Hendron.

“It is fortunate for him that noone was seriously hurt.

“Since that time he has lived with that event and it has cast a large cloud over him.”

The court heard that Duffy was employed as a delivery driver with the Post Office and, ironically, was involved in training other drivers.

Judge Burn decided that Duffy’s six-month jail term for dangerous driving could be suspended for 18 months, but he must also do 120 hours of unpaid work for the community.

As part of the sentence Duffy must pay £500 costs and he is also banned from driving for a year and until he has passed an extended re-test.

“This is probably the only time you will find yourself before the courts, but it’s for a very serious matter,” the judge told Duffy.

“The public, not just here but everywhere in this country, are sick and tired of people who use their vehicles irresponsibly.

“In your case it was two or three seconds, but it could have had serious consequences in particular if the complainant had slipped over.”