Off-road biker who deliberately hit woman jailed

0Noble was jailed at Aberdeen Sheriff CourtAn off-road motorbike rider who badly injured a woman when he deliberately struck her in Aberdeen has been jailed.

Brian Noble, 44, drove at the 29-year-old woman after she challenged him about the manner of his riding.

He struck her with his arm as he went past, in the city's Ramsay Crescent in May this year. The woman was thrown to the ground and lost consciousness.

Noble admitted assault to severe injury and danger of life at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. He was jailed for three years and three months, and disqualified from driving for 11 years and seven months.

He had originally been charged with attempted murder.

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Noble previously admitted the assault, and sentencing had been deferred for background reports.

Defence solicitor Neil McRobert said Noble accepted the incident was not accidental, but that he did not intend to cause the injuries he did.

He said Noble had a "lengthy" record but that violence was not prevalent.

"Mr Noble accepts custody will be imposed," he told the court.

Sheriff Craig Findlater described it as a "shocking" crime.

He said a motorbike had been used to assault a woman Noble did not know, who had annoyed him by challenging him about what he was doing with his motorbike.

The sheriff said it was an assault to the danger of life where the victim lost consciousness and only a custodial sentence was appropriate.

Noble was told the sentence would have been five years if he had not pleaded guilty.

He will be supervised for a year after his release.