A motorist carried out a road rage attack after his car was involved in a collision, a court heard yesterday.

Peter Forster, 32, took an steering wheel lock from his car and hit it against the window of the other driver's car after he thought he had been rammed.

Sheila Moore, prosecuting at Darlington Magistrates' Court, said Forster had been late driving to work at Cummins Engines, in the town, when he overtook Mark Jenkinson near Sadberge.

As he passed, he pulled in and clipped the front of Mr Jenkinson's car.

Mr Jenkinson followed Forster to get his details but crashed into the back of his car when Forster stopped suddenly.

Mrs Moore said: "Mr Forster got out of the car. He had a yellow wheel lock in his hand, which he raised to his head in an aggressive manner. Mr Jenkinson locked his doors."

Forster then used the lock to hit the car window.

Graham Hunsley, mitigating, said Forster did not realise he had hit the other car.

"He did touch the brakes on more than one occasion to give an indication to the car behind to move back. He then came to a stop and the car behind hit him. He got out of the car believing he had been rammed," he said.

Forster, of High Melbourne Street, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, admitted driving without due care, failing to stop after an accident, driving without reasonable consideration for other road users and damaging a car window.

He was given a 12 month community rehabilitation order, and ordered to pay £63.48 compensation and £55 costs.