A MAN has been jailed for 18 years after deliberately driving at two men and assaulting another during two "violent" Colchester incidents.

Sterling Rose, a 32-year-old of St Peter’s Street, in Colchester, was involved in an altercation with two other men outside a shop in Ipswich Road, on August 24, 2020.

During that incident, Rose and the two men were involved in a violent incident. The two men then left the area on bikes.

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In an act of revenge, Rose then got into his car and deliberately drove at both men.

He mounted the kerb and deliberately drove into one of the men, knocking him off his bike, before swerving back on to the road, re-mounting the kerb again driving into the second man causing multiple serious injuries including a fractured spine and serious head injury.

As a result of that investigation, Essex Police detectives also linked Rose to an incident outside McDonald’s, in Tollgate, Stanway on December 4,2019.

During that incident, Rose assaulted a man and left him unconscious on the ground before continuing to kick him three times.

Essex Police then seized Rose’s phone as part of their investigation into the Ipswich Road incident.

When examined, Essex Police say there was clear evidence of drug dealing on it – largely in the Colchester area.

He was subsequently charged with being concerned in the supply of cocaine and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Rose denied the charged but was found guilty after a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court on May 24.

On Tuesday, June 20, he was sentenced to a total of 18 years in jail. He will serve at least 11 years in custody and will be subject to an additional four-year licence period when he is released.

He was also disqualified from driving for 15 years.

Det Insp, Tim Coyles, said: “Rose has been given a sentence which matches the severity of the violence he has inflicted on others.

“I have got no doubt that in each incident, Rose could very easily have killed the victims simply as a result of the level of violence.

“Thankfully, our team was able to link him to the incidents and indeed establish even more offences, given his obvious link to the supply of drugs and he will spend at least 11 years in jail before being the subject of an extended licence period.”