Indian in Oz jailed over road rage attack on compatriots

Melbourne, Aug 17 (PTI) An Indian student was Wednesday
handed down a jail term of two-and-a-half years by an
Australian court, which found him guilty of recklessly causing
serious injuries to a group of compatriots during a road rage
attack.
25-year-old Gurdeep Singh Mann, who lives in Victoria,
will have to serve at least 18 months of his
two-and-a-half-year sentence before he becomes eligible for
parole. He is expected to face deportation after serving the
prison term, local media reported.
Mann was driving near Glenhuntly Road in Melbourne's
south in June 2009 when he narrowly missed hitting three
pedestrians who were also his fellow countrymen, the Victorian
County Court heard.
He drove in front of the men and stopped a short distance
away when he heard them hurling abuse in his native language,
Judge Frank Gucciardo was quoted as saying.
Mann and his passenger got out of the car to confront
the men and the group began exchanging insults, pushing,
shoving and punching each other, Judge Gucciardo said.
Mann's friend, a hospitality student, grabbed one of
his cooking knives from the car and started slashing at two of
the men.
After the jury found Mann guilty on two counts of
recklessly causing serious injury, he was sentenced to two-and
-a-half years' jail term and ordered that he serve 18 months
before becoming eligible for parole.
Mann would probably be deported on his release because of
his criminal record.