A MAN lost his temper and threw a road sign at a car believing he was the target of egg throwing vandals, a court heard today.

Former businessman Martin Green, of Yarm Road, Darlington, became angry when yobs driving through the town centre hit several people with eggs on September 11 2012.

Believing he was about to be targeted, the 43-year-old hid behind a fence on Tubwell Row before throwing a road sign at a passing Renault Clio. The sign caused £200 of damage to the vehicle and cracked its windscreen from top to bottom.

In mitigation, Kieran Rainey said Green had not meant to hit the vehicle, adding: “There came a point when he was making his way on his own to his bus having seen the scenario get more tense and getting more anxious himself.

“He picked up the road sign as a defence and then threw it. He could have retreated or hidden behind a bus shelter but he did not.

“He has had chance to reflect and tells me he would now do things differently.”

At Teesside Crown Court today (Wednesday May 28), Judge John Walford sentenced Green to four months in prison, suspended for two years.

He said: “You had no way of knowing that the car that you threw the sign towards was the same car from which the objects earlier had been thrown and you were not to know whether that car was being driven by someone experienced or inexperienced or the driver’s ability to react safely to what happened.”