A DRIVER was convicted yesterday of beating up a disabled motorist in a road rage attack - because he was travelling too slowly.

Derek Godfrey, 22, savagely assaulted Mr Ian Lothian, 48, kicking him when he fell to the ground, Falkirk Sheriff Court heard. Godfrey was also found guilty of careless driving.

Mr Lothian, of Carronshore, Falkirk, said he was driving his wife's Volvo 340 at 25-28mph in a 30mph area in King Street, Stenhousemuir, on July 1 - displaying his orange disabled sticker on the windscreen.

As he approached a pedestrian crossing Godfrey, of Beaufort Drive, Falkirk, drove his Volkswagen Golf right up to his bumper.

Mr Lothian said: ``The driver flashed his lights. When I got to the pedestrian crossing he pulled out and overtook me then cut in sharply in front of me causing me to brake sharply.

``A car coming the other way had to swerve to avoid running into the Golf.''

Mr Lothian said that further along the road Godfrey stopped and got out his car. ``He approached the front of my Volvo and started to kick it.''

Mr Lothian, who walks with the aid of a stick since he was invalided out of the Ministry of Defence with arthritis in 1988, said: ``I asked him to stop kicking my car and told him to see reason.''

But he claimed Godfrey came at him ``like a boxer leaving his corner for a fight''.

Mr Lothian, who gave evidence sitting down, told the court Godfrey kicked him in the arms, legs, groin, and stomach. He said he lay on the ground covering his head with his hands as Godfrey unleashed his fury.

He said he fought to stay on his feet. ``I knew that if I was down on the ground I was going to be very vulnerable.''

Mr Lothian said he suffered lacerations to his arms, stomach, legs and arms.

He said his GP suspected his ribs had been cracked or broken and that the casualty department at Falkirk Royal Infirmary put his arm in a sling.

He said he suffered nightmares after the alleged assault. ``I would wake up in the night and I was dreaming that I was lying on the ground and that he was going to kick me.''

However he noted down Godfrey's car registration number as he sped off and reported the incident to police.

Mr Lothian told the court: ``The only thing I did to annoy him was to drive within the speed limit. It was a completely unprovoked attack.''

Constable Brian Tennant said Mr Lothian was ``distressed'' when he interviewed him and his arms and face were grazed. One arm was in a sling and there was damage to the offside wing of the Volvo.

The policeman said that when he went to Godfrey's home, he told him: ``It is me that you are looking for.''

He said Godfrey said in a statement: ``As he went down, he gave a wee squeal, so I gave him a boot.''

Godfrey told the court he acted in self-defence. He claimed Mr Lothian attacked him.

He claimed Mr Lothian had verbally abused him, and struck him several times on the neck with his walking stick before he had retaliated.

However, Depute-fiscal Petra Collins told him: ``You were the one with the road rage.

``You were driving in an appalling manner that day.

``He was going too slowly for you. You took out your anger on him.''

Ms Collins said that, in a statement to police, Godfrey said: ``I deeply regret hitting him. The whole incident is pretty shameful, considering the man is disabled.

``I would apologise to the man and I realise it was wrong to fight anyone, I suppose.

``I'd too much to lose.''

Sheriff Ian Donaldson described Godfrey's behaviour as ``disgraceful'' and called for reports after hearing that Godfrey had previous convictions for assault and driving offences. Sentence was deferred until next month.