A MOTORIST who left another driver half blind after a confrontation at a Bradford roundabout told a jury he did not start the violence.

Marvin Edmondson said he was the victim of a road rage attack when he was knocked to the ground by Ephraim Fontaine, hit his head and suffered a blackout.

Edmondson, 25, of Westfield Crescent, Undercliffe, Bradford, denies maliciously wounding Mr Fontaine with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm at the roundabout between Otley New Road and Barkerend Road.

The jury at Bradford Crown Court has heard that Mr Fontaine, 30, was left half blinded when he was repeatedly punched by Edmondson, who allegedly gouged at his eyes when the two drivers stopped in the road shortly before midday on April 23 last year.

Mr Edmondson, a diabetic, said he had neglected to inject insulin for several days before the incident and was "drowsy and lethargic".

Mr Fontaine dangerously "cut him up" in his black Volkswagen Golf and both men stopped their cars to sort the matter out.

Edmondson said he got out of his blue Ford Focus because he thought Mr Fontaine wanted a fight.

"He threw a punch at me and I grappled with him and we both fell to the ground," he said.

He banged his head and the next thing he recalled was waking up on the sofa at his mother's home.

Edmondson has pleaded guilty to unlawfully wounding Mr Fontaine but says he did not intend to cause him serious injury.

He does not accept that he pushed his fingers into his eyes, causing him to lose the sight of his left eye.

Edmondson told the court: "I was the victim of a road rage incident when the other man attacked me."

He added: "I didn't intend to do damage. We were both in a rage."

Edmondson's barrister, Simon Batiste, said his client "lost his temper and threw a few punches".

He asked the jury to consider why Mr Fontaine left the scene when he was so badly injured, and why he did not go to the police for six days.

"Did he have something to hide? Was he concerned that he may be in trouble?" Mr Batiste asked.

Peter Byrne, barrister for the Crown, alleges that Edmondson was a "well-built and powerful man" who set out to seriously hurt Mr Fontaine.

The jury retired yesterday afternoon to begin considering its verdict.

Jurors will resume their deliberations at 10am today.

The trial continues.