Furniture tycoon 'punched driver'

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The multi-millionaire boss of one of Britain's best-known furniture chains attacked a man in a "road rage" incident, a court has heard.

Keith Pearce said Lord Kirkham, the founder and chief executive of DFS, pushed his thumbs into his eyes and scratched his face before punching him.

Mr Pearce told Doncaster Crown Court the attack happened as he was driving to work on 29 April.

Lord Kirkham, 63, denies one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Pearce, who works as an engineer for Doncaster Council, said he pulled out of a junction in his Fiat Punto in the village of Sprotbrough, South Yorkshire, where Lord Kirkham lives.

He said Lord Kirkham's silver Mercedes was approaching, but indicating to turn in to the road he was pulling out of.

He told the court the next thing he knew was that the Mercedes pulled in front of him and forced him to stop.

This was a completely senseless piece of violence Prosecutor Andrew Dallas

"I saw the gentleman getting out of the car and running around the back of the vehicle," Mr Pearce said.

"I got out of my vehicle.

"His hands were in a claw. He held his hands in front of his chest.

"He attacked me and went for my face.

"I pushed him away but he re-attacked me again - the same approach. Both hands grabbed my face again."

Mr Pearce told the jury he then grabbed Lord Kirkham in self-defence and the two men ended up on the floor.

'Independent witnesses'

Under cross-examination, Mr Pearce denied accusations from Simon Bourne-Arton QC, representing Lord Kirkham, that he had started the confrontation by shouting insulting words at the tycoon.

Mr Pearce denied he was now exaggerating the effect the incident had on him.

His injuries included scratches to his face, bruised eyes and scratches to his shoulder and leg, Mr Pearce said.

He later developed back problems, panic attacks and headaches and was forced to cancel a planned motorcycling holiday, he told the court.

Opening the case, Andrew Dallas, prosecuting, had told the jury the incident was one "popularly known as road rage".

He said Lord Kirkham told police Mr Pearce attacked him and that he was only acting in self-defence.

But Mr Dallas said two independent witnesses gave police accounts which supported Mr Pearce's version of events.

The prosecutor told the jury: "This was a completely senseless piece of violence brought about by some minor road incident which hadn't caused damage to anybody."

The trial continues.