Terror for driving instructor Malcolm Ely and pupils as their car is attacked during a lesson in River, Dover
Published: 00:00, 21 July 2016
Updated: 14:49, 21 July 2016
A driving instructor has told of the terror he and his pupil suffered when yobs smashed their car window.
The louts threw a half-brick at the vehicle at Lower Road, River, as it was coming close to the Alkham Valley Road junction.
It smashed the Nissan learner car’s rear window.
Malcolm Ely, of Ely Driving Tuition in Dover, said: “It might be funny to those who did it but what if had hit the front windscreen?
“Glass could have blinded me or the driver.”
The driver was an inexperienced young male pupil and Mr Ely said: “If he had panicked this could have made the car swerve into traffic or even worse, pedestrians."
"If he had panicked this could have made the car swerve into traffic or even worse, pedestrians" - Malcolm Ely
He added: “I rang the pupil that evening and he says he was a little shocked but was still looking forward to his next lesson. It made him jump but it hasn’t put him off driving.”
He said that youths, who had been seen in Kearsney Abbey on a wall above the road, had thrown the missile.
It first struck the rear left side of the car, denting bodywork, and then ricocheted, smashing the rear windscreen.
Damage is estimated at £500.
Mr Ely says that the two youths seen appeared to be above school age but he wanted to put out a warning as the school year ends tomorrow.
He wants to make sure younger children and teenagers do not behave as recklessly over the six-week break.
The incident happened between 2.05pm and 2.10pm on Friday.
Police spokesman Amanda Wills said: “Police did receive a report that half a brick had been thrown at a white Nissan Micra as it was driven along Lower Road, River.
“Officers are asking anyone who was in the area at the time and saw the incident to contact Kent Police.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 01843 222289 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 quoting reference number ZY/23863/16.
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