Member of the singer’s touring crew could face jail for punching driver twice in the face

A member of pop star Rihanna’s touring crew has been found guilty of punching a man in the face during a road rage attack on Edgware Road.

Lorry driver Michael Bradley, 57, stopped his lorry in the middle of heavy traffic before punching Ahmed el-Hammoud, 35, twice through the window of his car on July 4.

The former boxer then snatched the keys from the ignition before running off and leaving his victim stranded at the roadside to “teach him a lesson for being so rude”, City of London Magistrates Court heard.

The roadie denied the assault but he was convicted this week after an initial hearing had been postponed to allow him to work on Rihanna’s tour throughout September and October.

The court heard Bradley had been transporting catering equipment from the Wireless Festival in Hyde Park when he launched the attack.

He set upon Mr el-Hammoud as he was parking his car on Edgware Road, close to the junction with Boscobel Street, at around 10pm.

“He got out of his lorry and came to me,” said Mr el-Hammoud. “The first thing he said, as far as I can remember, was ‘What the f*ck was that for?’”

“Then, with his right hand, he quickly punched me. I pulled myself back and his first came onto my forehead. The next punch also hit my forehead.”

The victim was left standing at the roadside for more than an hour before his wife arrived with a spare set of keys.

Bradley claimed Mr el-Hammoud had performed a dangerous ‘undertaking’ manoeuvre that caused him to swerve his lorry across the road.

He told the court he “tooted the horn” only for Mr el-Hammoud to lean out the window “with his fingers up”.

Bradley, of Hammersmith will be sentenced on Thursday.