A coked-up thug who threatened a motorist with a hammer after he sounded his horn when he pulled out in front of him has been locked up.

Paul Durkin reacted angrily to the victim and smashed his car into his van as they drove through the streets of Billingham while his young daughter was sitting by his side in his Mazda.

When the van driver followed him to get his registration number to report the incident to the police the defendant pulled a hammer out of his vehicle and threatened the man with it.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the victim was still on the phone to the police when he was threatened and when officers arrived at Durkin’s home they found him under the influence of drugs.

Emma Atkinson, prosecuting, said the incident started on Marsh House Lane when Durkin pulled out into the path of a VW van and the driver sounded his horn in annoyance.

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Durkin performed a U-turn and chased the victim before pulling alongside him and side-swiping his Mazda into the man’s van before the pair continued to drive through the town.

The Northern Echo: Paul Durkin. Picture: CLEVELAND POLICEPaul Durkin. Picture: CLEVELAND POLICE

She added: “The defendant then got out of his vehicle and threatened to hit him with the claw hammer which he was brandishing. The man feared for his safety and drove off and described being very shaken.”

Miss Atkinson said Durkin was found to be 16 times over the drug drive limit for cocaine when police arrested him at his home.

She said the defendant had a number of previous convictions for robbery, attempted robbery, common assault and possession of a bladed article.

Durkin, of HMP Durham but formerly of Billingham, pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon; threatening behaviour; driving over the drug limit; possession of a Class C drug; driving without insurance; and driving without a licence.

Nicci Horton, in mitigation, said her client had been recalled on licence and would not be released until August 2023.

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Judge Howard Crowson jailed Durkin for 12 months for all offences that occurred on December 7 last year.

He said: “He sounded his horn which caused your annoyance and he followed you to get your registration number and was threatened with a hammer with the words ‘I’ll give you this’.”

Durkin was also banned from driving for 18 months.

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