A CAR driver who deliberately knocked a cyclist off his bike and drove off smirking has been jailed for two years.

William Status Heslop cut the victim up at a crossroads then steered twice to the left in a road rage incident, said Michael Bosomworth, prosecuting.

The second time he knocked the former soldier over, puncturing one of his lungs and breaking some of his ribs as well as damaging his bike.

“A lady at the next junction noticed that, as Heslop drove off, he was smirking as though he was pleased with what he had just done.

“Clearly this was deliberate, this was obviously dangerous, and clearly a disregard for the rules of the road.”

Watch footage from the cyclist's headcam showing Heslop's actions.

Judge Simon Hickey said the only punishment for motorists who deliberately knock cyclists off their bikes was jail.

He sent Heslop to prison for two years, banned him from driving for three years and ordered him to pass an extended driving test.

Heslop, a 33-year-old professional HGV driver, of Laurel Close, Thorpe Willoughby, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving on the day he was due to stand trial.

For him, Julian Goode said his family would suffer financially if he was jailed.

Mr Bosomworth said the cyclist was on his normal commute from Selby to his work as an electrical engineer in York on June 26 last year.

He signalled left and as he turned left at a crossroads on Barlby Road, Selby, Heslop driving a Vauxhall Insignia cut across him.

The cyclist shook his head but showed no other reaction.

Heslop stopped a short distance further on and turned his wheels to the left “as though to make a manoeuvre to hit him but the cyclist was able to get through.

“That regrettably was not the end of the matter. Heslop didn’t see sense,” said the barrister.

About 100 yards further on, the car driver deliberately steered left into the cyclist and drove off.

“He (the cyclist) is made of stern stuff. He continued on his journey to York, but only on arrival at his place of work he realised he was breathless and in some pain.”

Doctors at York Hospital casualty discovered he had a punctured lung and broken ribs.