A COMPANY director screamed ‘f*** the police’ at a traffic warden after losing his temper over a parking ticket.

Michael Smith, of Witton Park, Bishop Auckland, called the parking attendant a ‘little ****’ before spitting at him several times.

His victim nearly gave up his job after the incident after feeling intimidated, the court heard.

Smith admitted a public order offence when he appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe yesterday.

Emma Shea, prosecuting, said: "The parking officer has begun issuing a penalty charge notice to a Vauxhall which was left unattended in a loading area in Bishop Auckland.

"He has observed the defendant exit a nearby bar and walk towards the vehicle. The defendant said he was moving the vehicle and the warden said it was too late, he had already issued the ticket.

"Mr Smith called the warden a 'little ***' and got into the vehicle. He spat towards the victim several times without the spit hitting him.

"The victim has then informed the defendant that he shouldn't spit and the incident was being recorded.

"Mr Smith then said 'f*** you and f*** the police'."

Smith, 38, got out of his car and went towards the warden again, spitting at him again before leaving.

In the traffic warden's victim impact statement he said: "This incident has made me feel more nervous when issuing tickets. I am worried I might encounter this male again. At the time I considered quitting my job as a result of this incident. I didn't think it would be worth continuing if I felt endangered. It felt awful that I was spat at. I felt disgusted."

He added: "He wasn't even issued with a parking ticket in the end due to an error on the printer, so his actions were unnecessary."

Robert Willoughby, mitigating on behalf of Smith, said the father-of-two had a settled family life and ran a claims management company as well as a breakdown company.

He said: "He apologises for his behaviour and accepts he was out of order. The incident occurred on a very wet day, Mr Smith has chronic back pain and just pulled over for two minutes.

"He accepts he just lost his temper and shouldn't have acted in the way that he did."

A report from probation said Smith suffered from two worn discs in his back. He started two businesses after being released from prison some years ago.

Magistrates condemned his 'pretty disgusting actions' and gave him a nine-month community order and ordered him to pay £50 compensation to the traffic warden.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.