Grenfell Tower: Chauffeur who feared family had died spared jail after punching through car window on day of tragedy

A chauffeur has been spared jail after he smashed a pensioner's car window in a road rage incident sparked by fears he had lost relatives in the Grenfell Tower fire .

Okasha Aziz, 25, of St Anns Road, Shepherd's Bush , jumped out of his BMW and punched through Adrian Dorman's passenger window in a fit of road rage hours after the fire killed claimed 71 lives.

Aziz struck Mr Dorman in the face after his hand crashed through the glass in the incident Uxbridge Road, City of London Magistrates heard.

Claudia Francois, defending, said he had helped desperate residents at the scene in North Kensington before attacking Mr Dorman on his way home from work.

She said: "You have somebody which is under copious amount of stress. He hasn't eaten and was in an anxious state.

"He worked as a chauffeur, transferring females of a high-ranking family.

"He is extremely remorseful for these actions, he is entirely ashamed."

The court hear Aziz lost his temper when he was caught in traffic on his way home and pulled alongside Mr Dorman and shouted: "Get a bloody move on you silly git."

Mr Dornan said Aziz had been weaving in and out of bus lanes before coming up on the traffic lights and asking him to get out of the car, which Mr Dornan refused.

Aziz then smashed his window.

Mr Dornan was "shaken by the incident" and claimed the glass wouldn't break from any other man.

Aziz claimed his family members lived on the 20th floor of the Grenfell Tower just before they were "burned alive."

He said: "I have got an aunty who lives on the 20th floor, she sent us a video with my cousins, know what I mean, just before they were burned alive.

"I know they didn't survive, they gave up hope.

"They thought there was helicopters out there coming to save them."

Magistrate Edward Lord said: "'We know that you live next door to Grenfell Tower and we have seen compelling evidence of how you and your family were directly affected in that tragedy, and that you were involved in the rescue efforts in the early hours of that morning.

"None of us can have any real comprehension of the psychological impact such an event will have had on you that day, but we recognise that it must have taken its toll on your behaviour."

He added: "Your assault on Mr Dorman and his car came out of nowhere and caused him considerable distress."

He was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £105 in costs and £500 compensation to the victim.

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