'Road rage' cameraman avoids jail

Bateson used his first aid skills to treat his victim

A cameraman who kept his cool in war zones lost his temper and punched a man while trying to park in central London.

Nigel Bateson, 46, was sentenced to 200 hours of community service at Snaresbrook Crown Court after being found guilty on one count of actual bodily harm.

Bateson of Stoke Newington, north London, had been trying to park in a busy Soho street in November 2001 when he narrowly missed pedestrian Martin Brockwell.

Bateson claimed he was protecting his wife at the time of the assault because he claimed that Mr Brockwell had attacked his car, the court heard.

I have seen him hugely provoked by very dangerous people. He is alive because he has not responded to that type of provocation.

Kate Adie

The trial heard Bateson's job as a freelance cameraman, had taken him to war zones - including the Gulf War and Balkans conflict.

BBC journalist Kate Adie and former war correspondent Martin Bell appeared as character witnesses for him in court.

Miss Adie told the jury he had been threatened and shot at while working in "extremely dangerous situations."

She added: "I have seen him hugely provoked by very dangerous people. He is alive because he has not responded to that type of provocation."

Immediate remorse

But Mr Brockwell told the jury he had never touched the vehicle and the court heard he was knocked out when he hit the pavement after being punched.

Passing sentence Judge Stephen Robbins, told Bateson: "You could have found yourself going to prison today ... but the fact is that prisons are over-full and there are more ways of restricting a man's freedom than putting him in a cell."

Bateson's clean record, his immediate remorse and the fact he had used his first aid skills to tend his victim, also helped him avoid jail.

He was told to pay £2,000 compensation to Mr Brockwell and £1,030 towards prosecution costs.