Worksop: Nail bar boss rammed estranged wife’s car

An off-duty police officer saw Van Bao Nguyen swing his Toyota Landcruiser round and pursue his wife’s Audi.

The officer said the 39-year-old behaved in an ‘utterly reckless and dangerous’ manner.

Nguyen, of Netherton Road, Worksop and a native of Vietnam, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving on Retford Road on 21st April.

But a judge at Nottingham Crown Court spared him an immediate prison sentence after hearing he was of previous good character and deciding it was better for him to keep working and providing for his two children.

The court heard Nguyen and his extended family ran nail bars in Worksop and Retford employing five people. He has been in the country for 24 years.

He was involved in an acrimonious separation from his wife six months before the offence, said Jonathan Straw, prosecuting.

His wife had been to a party in Suffolk and on her return was tired and asked a male passenger to drive. They had dropped off a female passenger.

The police officer followed the 4x4 Landcruiser as it was driven aggressively ‘literally a few feet from the back of the Audi,’ said Mr Straw.

The Audi was rammed several times and the occupants were very frightened. They had decided to drive to a police station.

In mitigation it was said Nguyen behaved completely out of character and the damage to the vehicles was minimal, amounting to a ‘few dents.’

Judge Gregory Dickinson said there was an element of jealousy in the case.

His original view was that Nguyen had to go to prison but it was possible to suspended the six months’ sentence for 18 months.

He ordered Nguyen to do 100 hours unpaid work, with 12 months probation supervision and attendance at a driver awareness programme. He was disqualified for two years and has to pay £535 court costs.