Lord Kirkham accused of road rage assault

Tory peer and millionaire founder of furniture company DFS Lord Kirkham (pictured) has been accused of punching and clawing a man in an alleged bout of road rage.

Lord Kirkham - or Baron Kirkham of Old Cantley to give him his full title - was driving to work earlier this year when he had a near miss with a Fiat Punto driven by council engineer Keith Pearce. A court was told yesterday that Kirkham then got out of his car, shouting and swearing, before attacking Pearce and wrestling him to the ground.

Onlooker Hazel Hansford described how Kirkham "just went beserk" whil Pearce said he was left "shaky and upset... there was blood on my face and in my eyes." He was treated at Doncaster Royal Infirmary for two black eyes, scratching and bruising.

Lord Kirkham owns Grade II listed Georgian mansion Cantley Hall in Doncaster, and last year picked up £46m in DFS share profits. He gave the Tory party a £4m interest free loan in 1996, and was made a life peer in 1999.

The case continues, with Kirkham denying assault causing actual bodily harm.