The victim of a road rage assault who needed pins to put his arm back together has hit out at the justice system for allowing his attacker to escape prison.

Lee Whytock was repeatedly punched, held by the throat and thrown to the floor in the assault on Broadhall Way, Stevenage in February.

The 33-year-old from Stevenage was flashed, bibbed and tailgaited by the driver behind as he travelled in his Audi TT towards the A1M with his girlfriend, Kelly McCormack.

When both vehicles stopped in traffic, Ryan Mouton got out and approached the Audi. When Mr Whytock got out, Mouton attacked him. He also punched Ms McCormack, 28, in the face when she tried to stop the assault, before driving off.

Mouton, 38, of The Mansion, Whitney Wood, Stevenage was given a 12-month suspended sentence at Cambridge Crown Court last week, after pleading guilty to GBH and assault by beating. He was also ordered to do 80 hours community service and pay Mr Whytock �2,500 compensation for his injuries.

Mr Whytock’s suffered a dislocated elbow and nerve and ligament damage in the attack needing five hours of operations.

The injuries have left him unable to work since the attack, and he was told by doctors he will never regain full use of the limb.

“They put pins in my arm,” Mr Whytock said. “They tried to get it back in but it wouldn’t go. When they opened it up it was hanging by a thread. It’s now pointing in a different direction. I’m still wearing a brace for the injury at night to straighten it out.

“I’m permanently disabled in that I’ve lost 35 per cent of movement. I’ve lost my livelihood - I can’t go back to building work.”

He said the non-custodial sentence has left him feeling completely let down by the courts.

“I think it’s disgusting. He should have gone to prison. When my girlfriend heard that she had tears in her eyes.

“Crimes which are serious – you’ve got these idiots doing that with no fear of jail, and they are right, because they won’t get jail. It shows what the British justice system has come to.”