Paul Graham Craigie pleads guilty to road rage attack on motorist

An angry driver followed another motorist for 10 minutes to a shopping centre car park where he unleashed a violent attack, punching the man on the ground. Here’s why.

Coles Andergrove. Picture: Google Maps

An angry driver followed the motorist who struck his car for 10 minutes to a shopping centre car park where he unleashed a violent road rage attack, punching his victim while he was on the ground.

The assault occurred on September 6, 2023 after two vehicles were involved in a minor bingle at the Sams and Willets Rds intersection — only their side mirrors connected with minor damage, some scratching.

But Paul Graham Craigie, 43, took offence and followed the other driver to the Andergrove Coles and took steps to prevent his victim from leaving the car park.
Mackay District Court heard Craigie opened the man’s door, grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him out of his vehicle, resulting in their pair hitting the bitumen.

Craigie then rolled on top of the victim and punched his face at least twice, until someone else intervened.

The victim suffered bruising to the right side of his jaw, and grazes and soreness to his body.

Craigie, who wrote an apology letter just days after his attack, pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm and has offered to pay his victim $2000 compensation.

Crown prosecutor Farook Anoozer said the offending was a case of road rage that stemmed from a minor traffic collision, adding this conduct was “quite common in our community unfortunately”.

He pushed for 12-15 months jail, to be either immediately suspended or paroled, arguing Craigie was a mature man and this was not an immediate response — he followed the victim for up to 10 minutes.

Mr Anoozer told the court Craigie had time to cool his temper before reacting, and he didn’t.

Barrister Joshua Morris said it was rare for there to be an apology letter so soon after an offence.

He submitted it demonstrated the highest level of remorse and insight into the offending.

The court heard Craigie has since started a mental health treatment plan that included multiple and ongoing sessions with a psychotherapist.

Mr Morris said his client had demonstrated remarkable insight into his own need to get treatment for what he believed were the cause of his mental health concerns and pushed for a probation order with a conviction not recorded.

Judge Suzanne Sheridan accepted it was an “unusual outburst” and that Craigie had shown genuine remorse and taken proactive steps in relation to his mental health issues.

The court heard Craigie felt deep shame and understood “the victim was truly a victim”.

He was placed on a 12-month probation order and must pay $2000 compensation to the victim.

A conviction was not recorded.