Shocking moment road rage thug hurls cyclist to the ground leaving him with a fractured skull in sickening attack - but he avoids jail

Published: 20:26 GMT, 28 October 2026 | Updated: 21:32 GMT, 28 October 2026

A cyclist suffered a traumatic brain injury after a road rage attack that was caught on camera.

Shocking video captures the moment Joseph Hedley, 39, launched a furious assault on Iain Brown, 34, in Edinburgh.

Footage shows Hedley, from Kirkcaldy, involved in a tense altercation with the cyclist before getting out of his car, grabbing Brown by the throat and violently throwing him to the ground.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Brown lost consciousness following the attack, and suffered injuries including a fractured skull, traumatic brain injury, and a bleed on his brain.

Hedley then got back in his car and fled the area, leaving Brown lying injured in the road.

After footage of the attack on September 20, 2024, was shared on social media in an appeal for information, Hedley turned himself into police.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting Brown causing serious injury, permanent impairment, and danger of his life.

Hedley was sentenced on October 27, but avoided jail and was placed on a two-year supervision order to remain inside from 7pm and 7am.

A cyclist suffered a traumatic brain injury after a road rage attack that was caught on camera

Shocking video captures the moment Joseph Hedley, 39, launched a furious assault on Iain Brown, 34, in Edinburgh

Footage shows Hedley, from Kirkcaldy, involved in a tense altercation with the cyclist - before he exits his car, grabs Brown by the throat and violently throws him to the ground

Hedley pled guilty to assault to severe injury, permanent impairment and to the danger of life

Faith Currie, Procurator Fiscal for Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders said: 'This was a violent, sustained and unprovoked assault on an innocent member of the public who suffered serious injuries.

'The actions of Joseph Hedley were horrific and shocking and could easily have had more devastating consequences.

'But he has now been brought fully to account for his crimes.

'As prosecutors, we wholly condemn road rage incidents of this nature which put the public at unnecessary risk from violent offenders like Joseph Hedley.

'We will always prosecute such matters where there is a sufficiency of evidence to do so.'

Solicitor Calum Turner, defending, told the court his client 'did not intend to inflict the injuries Mr Brown suffered' and has not driven a vehicle since the incident. 

The lawyer said the attack took place after the cyclist had shouted abuse at the driver and his passengers and had shone a safety light into his car. Mr Turner said a passenger in the vehicle had suffered a seizure leading to Hedley leaving his vehicle to confront Mr Brown.

Sheriff Fergus Thomson said the motorist had inflicted 'significant injuries' to the cyclist but 'by the narrowest of margins' he was willing to impose an alternative to a custodial sentence.