MOTORIST Joby Pironi has been warned he faces a jail term after a jury found him guilty of a road rage attack which left a man with a fractured skull.

The 27-year-old, from Rodbourne, who has two previous convictions for assault, was told he was "at risk of a significant prison sentence" after he was convicted of grievous bodily harm.

Philip England, 52, was knocked down and run over by Pironi's VW Golf after the men had an argument in traffic calming measures in Beech Avenue, Pinehurst.

The victim was driving his younger brother John to his girlfriend's house after he had been at a local pub watching England lose to Denmark at football.

The incident happened after Philip England, who was behind the wheel of his brother's van, entered a traffic-calming chicane against the right of way in August last year.

Pironi, who was heading in the opposite direction, pulled up in front of the van preventing it from exiting the narrowing in the road.

John England said it was as if the other man was making a point and as his brother tried to edge forward out of the way the Golf's wheels turned as if to ram the van.

His older brother, who lives in Blaenau Gwent, but was staying with him in Swindon, then got out to remonstrate with Pironi.

Witnesses told how they heard him shouting and saw him shooing the younger motorist back to allow them through.

But Pironi ran over Mr England leaving him with massive injuries, including a fractured skull, before driving off into the grounds of the Pinehurst People's Centre.

One woman who lives in a house overlooking the chicane said she saw the car move forward and knock down Mr England.

Pironi insisted it was an accident and he had been trying to get away from the scene and thought he was in reverse when his car shot forward and ran over Mr England.

A jury of nine women and three men at Swindon Crown Court decided after seven hours of deliberation that he was guilty of GBH by a majority of eleven to one.

They had earlier cleared him of the more serious charge of GBH with intent.

Pironi, of Jennings Street, sobbing, removed his glasses and placed his head in his hands after hearing the foreman of the jury return the verdict.

Philip England suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain, a broken right leg and numerous other injuries.

He could recall nothing of the incident, his first memory being waking in hospital four weeks later.

After hearing the verdict Michael Butt, defending, said: "He is clearly at risk of a significant prison sentence."

Adjourning the matter for the probation service to compile a pre-sentence report Judge Tom Longbotham warned Pironi that jail was an option.

He said: "Whilst I am going to readmit you to bail you have got to understand that you can't read anything into that.

"I am not giving you any signals as to what the sentence will be. You are at serious risk of, as Mr Butt concedes, a significant prison sentence."