A forklift driver threatened a former colleague with a pickaxe handle for tampering with his sandwich more than two years earlier.

Furious George Johnstone tracked down bricklayer David McBeth, who was working on a building site in Houghton le Spring, in August last year.

Johnstone, 45, who has a string of convictions for violence, claimed to have spent two-and-a-half years hunting down Mr McBeth to confront him over the spoilt snack.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how after a violent confrontation Johnstone waited for Mr McBeth to finish work and confronted him again after following him to a bar.

Prosecutor Paul Currer told the court: "Mr McBeth recognised him as being a person he had worked with in the past on building sites.

"It had been some time since he knew him.

"The defendant accused Mr McBeth of spiking a sandwich and said he had been looking for him for two-and-a-half years."

THe court heard how Johnstone was "aggressive and threatening" during the confrontation and refused to calm down.

When Mr McBeth left work for the day he realised he was being followed by Johnstone.

Mr McBeth parked at a pub and was confronted by Johnstone again.

Mr Currer said: "The defendant began to shout at him from his car, waving a pick axe handle at him and saying 'you are going to get it'."

Despite attempts to calm Johnstone down he threatened to to find out where Mr McBeth lived so he could smash his windows.

The following day Johnstone turned up at Mr McBeth's workplace again and refused to stop his car when police arrived at the scene.

Johnstone, of Horsley Road, Barmston, Washington, admitted putting a person in fear of violence by harrassment and careless driving.

At Newcastle Crown Court yesterday Judge Guy Whitburn made a three year restraining order for Johnstone to stay away from Mr McBeth and put six penalty points on his licence, fined him £200 and ordered him to pay £100 costs for the careless driving.

Johnstone, who is receiving treatment for paranioa, will be sentenced for the harrassment in six months time and was told he will be spared jail if he stays out of trouble in the meantime.

Judge Whitburn said the case was "extremely odd".