A MAN who was made aggressive by steroid abuse has been jailed for 20 months after a "road rage" attack.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Imran Bashir, 29, who later absconded to Pakistan, "stalked" and chased his victim, looking for confrontation after an earlier incident.

The other driver pulled in and the defendant approached him, struck him in the stomach, abused him, headbutted and punched him.

When the victim tried to get out of his passenger door, Bashir hit him again, causing him to bang his head against the door and slump to the ground. The defendant was then said to have kicked the man as he lay on the floor.

Bashir was traced through his car registration number and was picked out on an identity parade. He left for Pakistan in mid 2003 but returned and handed himself into police in August.

Sentencing the defendant, who was said to have fled because of a combination of fear of the consequences of his actions and illness in his family, Judge John Foster, QC, said however irresponsible leaving the country was, Bashir had now grown up.

He had also addressed his problems over steroid abuse.

The defendant, of Southfield Street, Nelson, had earlier admitted assault causing actual bodily harm in 2001 and failing to surrender.