John McKinney, 39, left Gordon Springall unconscious and with five broken ribs after running him down on a country lane in the Vale of Belvoir, Lincolnshire.

Mr Springall, 51, was taking his dog for a late-night walk when he annoyed McKinney by gesturing for him to slow down.

Electrician McKinney, of Mapperley in Nottingham, slammed on his brakes, reversed into him and then dragged him down the road.

Smashed windscreen

Mr Springall, who was staying at a local caravan park after visiting a concert at nearby Belvoir Castle, was discovered kneeling in the lane afterwards.

The victim says he is still suffering from the injuries inflicted by the attack.

The next day McKinney's girlfriend's company car was found abandoned a mile from the crash scene, with its rear windscreen smashed and boot damaged.

He told Lincoln Crown Court he simply had a crash while spending 40 minutes trying to find an hotel after attending the same concert as Mr Springall.

But a jury convicted him of charges of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and dangerous driving after little more than an hour's deliberation.

'No remorse'

After the verdict, the court heard he had previous convictions for offences of handling stolen goods, affray, indecent assault and wounding with intent.

In addition to the jail sentence, Judge Jonathan Teare banned him from the roads for 10 years and ordered he take an extended re-test before regaining his licence.

He told McKinney, who will be eligible for parole in just three years he was responsible for "an unforgivable offence" for which you have shown no remorse.

After the case Mr Springall, from Shepshed in Leicestershire, revealed he was still suffering from the effects of the incident, which happened in August 2001.