A violent thug who punched a pensioner in the face for ‘sticking to the 20mph speed limit’ has been spared jail.

Christopher Shaw, 40, leapt out of his van and punched Christopher Lavis, now 69, in the face at around 8.15am on July 30 last year in Brynmeyn, Bridgend, Wales. 

The unprovoked road rage attack left the grandfather with a fractured right cheekbone and eye socket as well as a broken nose and concussion. 

But Shaw, of Bettws, has avoided time behind bars for assault causing actual bodily harm.

He was instead handed a year-long sentence, suspended for 24 months, ordered to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work and pay £1,500 in compensation to Mr Lavis.

Sentencing the attacker, Recorder Paul Lewis KC said: ‘He has a roofing business that employs people who are dependent on him, he has a family, a niece, and he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

‘On balance, by a whisker, it seems to me that although the offence demands a sentence of imprisonment it is one the court can suspend.’

Mr Lavis said he was ‘very, very disappointed’ Shaw did not receive a custodial sentence, adding that he thought ‘thumping somebody’ should result in prison time. 

Christopher Lavis, 69, was punched in the face in the violent attack, which left him with a black eye, bleeding nose and blood-stained polo shirt 

The grandfather said he was ‘very disappointed’ his attacker wasn’t handed a custodial sentence after pleading guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm

‘The reason he didn’t give him a jail sentence is because this bloke has his own roofing business and people rely on him for their jobs,’ the grandfather said.

‘To me, I don’t give a monkeys if you’re Donald Trump.

‘If you employ people, you should have thought of that before you thumped somebody.’

He added: ‘I was very, very disappointed that it wasn’t a custodial sentence.’

On the day of the attack Mr Lavis was due to have an important test on his heart which was postponed following the assault, which his wife Elizabeth Lavis, 68, had witnessed while sitting in the passenger seat. 

The 69-year-old has not driven since the attack due to anxiety and has been left relying on a walking stick for balance. 

Mr Lavis said in a victim impact statement the violence seemed to be triggered by his ‘simple act of courtesy’ in giving way to oncoming traffic and travelling at the correct speed of 20mph. 

He had noticed a van driving behind him at speed, beeping its horn and flashing its lights. 

Christopher Shaw, 40, leapt out of his van and punched Mr Lavis in the face for ‘sticking to the 20mph speed limit’

Prosecutor Ben Jones said: ‘He pulled over into another street to allow the van to pass and then carry on his way.’ 

Mr Lavis later came to a stop so he could give way to oncoming traffic when the same van appeared behind him.

Then Shaw ‘exited the van and opened the driver-side door of Mr Lavis’s car’ and attacked him.

After the punch Shaw stopped the grandfather from closing his car door and continued to shout at him before he finally let up. 

Mr Lavis was treated at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff – but still faces post-concussion syndrome.

‘I’m still suffering today. I’ve got issues as a result of this,’ he said.

‘I’ve got balance issues that my head doesn’t feel steady. I’m stumbling quite a bit, tripping over things.

‘Before the incident I had no problems at all. I used to run the parkrun every Saturday. This has really impacted on my life.’ 

Mr Lavis said giving way to oncoming vehicles and obeying the speed limit seemed to have angered Shaw.

His wife branded the incident ‘deeply traumatic’ and said she was ‘terrified’ when she saw the impact of Shaw’s punch cause her husband to ‘immediately begin bleeding heavily’. 

Defence solicitor Derrick Gooden said the attack was ‘entirely out of character’ and promised the £1,500 compensation would be paid within 28 days. 

But Mr Lavis said: ‘I don’t care about the money. It’s not a lot of money if he’s got his own roofing business.’

Shaw, who was previously convicted of six offences including another assault 25 years ago, originally claimed the punch was thrown in self-defence. 

He later admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.