A MAN accused of a road rage incident told a court he thought his car had been rammed.

Peter Forster, 32, took an anti-theft device from his car after another vehicle ran into the back of him on June 25, and swung it at the passenger side window of the other car, cracking it.

Prosecuting, Ciaran Grogan told Darlington Magistrates' Court that Forster had been driving to work at Cummins Engines, along the A66 in the Town, at 7.50am, when he tried to overtake another car, but then pulled back in.

Mr Grogan said Mark Jenkinson was driving along the road at the time and said Forster clipped him as he pulled back in.

Mr Jenkinson followed Forster to get his details, but Forster stopped suddenly and he ran into the back of him.

Foster then got out of the car. He had armed himself with an anti-theft device that he raised in an aggressive manner.

"Mr Jenkinson locked his car doors and tried to move back into the flow of traffic, but couldn't get away," Mr Grogan said.

Foster tried the handle of Mr Jenkinson's car door and when he could not get in he struck the car window with the anti-theft device.

Laura Saunders-Jerrom, mitigating, said Forster had not realised he had collided with Mr Jenkinson and that was why he failed to stop.

When he saw Mr Jenkinson tailgating him, he gently touched his brakes to get him to pull back.

"He touched his brakes thinking 'what is this guy up to?' and the next thing he knew he thought the man had rammed him.

She said Forster reached for the anti-theft device because he thought there was going to be trouble.

Forster, who had a clean driving licence, thought Mr Jenkinson was going to drive at him, and that was when he lost his temper and cracked the window.

Forster, of High Melbourne Street, Bishop Auckland, admitted driving without due care, failing to stop after an accident, driving without reasonable consideration for other road users and damaging a car window worth £63.48.

Magistrates adjourned the case for sentencing until August 28.