A HEREFORDSHIRE man has been up before the magistrates after his car was hit by another driver in a rural road.

Andrew Williams admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour within the sight or hearing of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm, or distress when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

The witness had been travelling on Stoke Prior Road towards Leominster when he came upon Williams and another driver, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

Williams was reported to have jumped out of his truck, shouted an expletive and told the witness to go the other way to Leominster, at which point the witness, who said he did not want to get involved as he thought things could escalate, left the scene.

ALSO READ:

Robert Hanratty, for Williams, said the 44-year-old had been driving along the single-carriageway lane when he was hit by another car that he said had been travelling at speed.

"He stopped and found the other driver to be very obstructive," Mr Hanratty said.

"He accepts that exchange became very animated, particularly so when the other driver jumped in his car, tried to drive off, and actually hit him."

Mr Hanratty said the witness had been trying to make a delivery and had asked Williams to move, and had called Williams a name when he refused as the incident with the other driver was still ongoing.

The court heard Williams accepted he had sworn in response and told the witness to go the other way.

"It is a very unfortunate incident, but one can understand the circumstances that caused it to escalate to become a verbal argument," Mr Hanratty said,

Williams, of Rectory Lane, Stoke Prior, was handed a six-month conditional discharge and must pay costs of £135 and a £22 victim surcharge.