By Amy Walker,Andrew Bardsley

Copyright manchestereveningnews

A van driver who hit a dad with his vehicle after the pair had become embroiled in a ‘road rage’ row has been acquitted of murder. Andrew Robson became involved in an argument with Paul Bowles at the Elk Mill roundabout in Royton, Oldham. The pair then got out of their vehicles and began fighting at a set of traffic lights. Business owner Robson got back into his car and hit Mr Bowles, causing fatal injuries. Robson, 33, who owns Chadderton Fencing, told the jurors: “I didn’t intentionally hit him. I was scared to death and wanted to get away from the situation. “I wanted to get away like anybody else would do.” He said he was ‘dazed’ after the incident. Mr Robson’s barrister claimed that Mr Bowles had been the ‘aggressor throughout’, a claim denied by Mr Bowles’ daughter who was present. Sign up to the MEN Court newsletter here Robson left the scene after the incident. Minshull Street Crown Court heard that he ‘made arrangements’ for the van he was driving to be collected by someone else. It has never been recovered by police. Today (October 1), Robson was unanimously found not guilty of murder, and an alternate offence of manslaughter, following a three week trial. As the jury delivered their verdict, members of Mr Robson’s family clapped and cheered from the public gallery. Following his death, Mr Bowles’ family described him as a ‘kind, loving, family man and true gentleman who always put others before himself’. “He was intelligent and quick-witted, had a brilliant mind and generous heart,” his family said in a statement. “Paul will be missed greatly by all his family and friends.” Mr Bowles was a teaching assistant at St Anne’s CofE Lydgate Primary School in Saddleworth, Oldham. A post on the Facebook page of the school’s Parent Teacher Association (PTA) said: “Our whole school community is devastated by the loss of our much-loved teacher Mr Bowles. “He was a very special man who was adored by our pupils, past and present. We will be working closely with school in the coming weeks to arrange a fitting memorial for Mr Bowles, but right now our thoughts are with his family. ” The trial heard that 50-year-old Mr Bowles had been to McDonald’s on Jardine Way in Chadderton on the evening of Wednesday, March 26, and was driving his Nissan Qashqai home. Also in the car was Mr Bowles’ 19-year-old daughter, Katie-May. As they drove along Broadway, a van driven by Mr Robson came ‘very close’ to the Nissan, prosecutor Gordon Cole KC said. Shortly after, both vehicles arrived at the Elk Mill roundabout and an ‘argument, sometimes referred to as road rage’, developed, the prosecutor said. Robson and Mr Bowles got out of their cars and a ‘fight’ broke out. Join our Court and Crime WhatsApp group HERE Mr Robson got back into his car and hit Mr Bowles with it. Members of the public went to help Mr Bowles. Police and paramedics also attended, arriving at 6.52pm. Mr Bowles died at 7.26pm. A pathologist ruled that he had died as a result of head injuries. Mr Robson handed himself in to police later that night, just before 11pm. He answered ‘no comment’ to questions when interviewed by officers. Giving evidence, Katie-May Bowles denied that her father had got out of his car first at the roundabout. She agreed her dad had punched Mr Robson ‘at least four times’ during the fight, but denied that he was the ‘aggressor throughout’. Mr Robson, of Fold Green, Chadderton, said he had not wanted his van and dash camera to be removed because any footage would have supported his case.