I was punched in the face for driving at 20mph

A man who was punched in the face for sticking to a 20mph speed limit on the way to a hospital appointment has become anxious and now dislikes driving.

Christopher Lavis, 69, from Bridgend, suffered a fractured cheek bone, a fractured eye socket and a broken nose when Christopher Shaw, from Bettws, punched him.

Mr Lavis said: "This was just hitting an innocent person for doing nothing more than driving at 20mph."

Shaw, 40, pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm on 30 July 2025.

Mr Lavis said he had just left his home in Brynmenyn and was driving to hospital for an X-ray of his heart at around 08:30 BST when a van started driving closely behind him.

"He was flashing his lights and beeping his horn at me, because I was doing 20mph," said Mr Lavis.

The retired aircraft engineer said the van was still behind him when he stopped at a junction by the Fox and Hounds pub in the village and it was at this point that the driver, Shaw, got out of his vehicle.

"He comes to my door, opens my door, and after a lot of shouting and swearing from him, he punched me.

"One punch in the face, and then he turned around and went back to his van.

"I had blood streaming down my face and he just left the scene, there [was] no remorse, no seeing how I am or nothing, and then I proceeded on to the hospital for my angiogram."

Shaw received a one-year jail term suspended for two years, was ordered to pay £1,500 in compensation and carry out 50 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Lavis has expressed his disappointment in the sentence.

"The judge said because he was employing people as a roofer they didn't send him to jail."

He added: "This was just hitting an innocent person for doing nothing more than driving at 20 mph."

He said Shaw had never apologised or shown remorse.

"He could have killed me. I'm nearly 70 years of age."

Mr Lavis's wife Elizabeth was in the car with her husband when the attack happened and said they were both in a state of "shock" after

"I'd never heard so many swear words in all my life. I couldn't believe it, you know, it was like things were happening in slow motion, and then the blood started flowing."

Mrs Lavis got out of the car and confronted Shaw.

"I said, 'what is your problem?' I said, 'you've hit my husband, it's just unbelievable'."

Mrs Lavis said her husband has become more anxious and has issues with his balance since the assault, adding that neither of them like to drive now.

Since 2023, 20mph has been the default speed limit on most urban roads in Wales.

"You know, it is hard to do 20mph, but that's the law and that's what you've got to do," said Mrs Lavis.

"It is frustrating and when somebody is right up your backside, either flashing or becoming angry because you're doing 20 mph - it's unnerving."

She added: "We were trying to obey the law, and somebody broke it, by assaulting my husband."