A judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of a Stowmarket man who was spared an immediate prison sentence last year for assaulting a retired headmaster during a road rage incident.

Michael Bass was due to have attended Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday (July 15) for breaching a suspended prison sentence order he was given in February last year for the attack on 75-year-old Michael Perry.

Following his non-attendance at court ,Judge Martyn Levett issued a warrant for his arrest not backed for bail.

Bass was given a 21-month prison sentence suspended for two years after Mr Perry wrote a letter to the court saying he had no personal wish to see Bass punished and hoped for a "positive rather than a purely negative outcome to the case".

In a letter to the judge, Mr Perry said he had worked with young people all his life and described the defendant as appearing to be "deeply troubled and having a chip on his shoulder and a short temper".

Sentencing Bass last year, Judge Levett said Mr Perry had posed no threat to him as he had remained sitting in his car throughout the incident

In addition to the suspended sentence Bass was given a 50-day rehabilitation activity requirement and ordered to pay Mr Perry £500 compensation.

Bass, 37, of Poplar Hill, Stowmarket, admitted unlawfully wounding Mr Perry on May 18 last year.

The court heard that Mr Perry needed seven stitches in a cut to his lip after being punched in the face through the open window of his car by Bass, who accused him of driving too close as he overtook him.

Mr Perry had been driving along Bury Road, Stowmarket at around 4.30pm and had overtaken three cyclists, including Bass.

As he overtook Bass he heard a loud bang on his window and stopped his car. Bass had then approached the car and words were exchanged before Bass for no reason punched Mr Perry once through the open driver's window.

Following the incident Mr Perry drove off and reported the incident to the police.