A Birmingham father, who was hailed a hero following the August riots, allegedly broke another man’s jaw.
Tariq Jahan pleaded for peace after his son died while trying to protect his area from rioters.
However, the court heard that 45-year-old Jahan punched and kicked Sajjad Ali, who he believed was looking at his wife.
Mr Ali, 34, was sent to hospital with a broken jaw and two missing teeth in the attack, which took place last July.
He was taken to City Hospital and then spent three days in Birmingham Elizabeth Hospital to recover from an operation to fix two jaw fractures.
Prosecutor Shenaz Muzaffer said Mr Jahan was driving a white Mitsubishi car with his wife in the passenger seat.
Mr Ali, believing that the van driver was blocking his way, told him to move out of the way.
But the van driver began beeping at him, before winding down his window to ask the accuser why he was staring at him.
Mr Ali told jurors, ““He came out of the car, he left his front door open and he came towards me.”
“He grabbed me by the throat and asked me why I was looking at his wife.
“He then punched me very hard to the forehead and I fell to the ground.
There was then blackness before my eyes and he started either hitting or kicking me in the head for what felt like five minutes. After he stopped, he saw me spit my tooth out and my mouth bleeding and ran away and drove off.”
The incident was reported on 6th July and Mr Jahan was arrested a few days later after police officers traced his car via a database.
However, Ali Naseem Baiwa QC, defending, said that his client was provoked.
He told the court that Mr Jahan stopped his car only to ask Mr Ali if he was a Hindu, Pakistani, Sikh, Muslim of Iraqi.
According to Mr Baiwa, Mr Ali responded with, “F*** off you grey-haired old fart. Why should I tell you?”
Mr Jahan got out of his car to ask the same question, to which Mr Ali responded by trying to head-butt him.
