A MOTORIST’S angry reaction to another driver’s two-fingered gesture has proved costly in court.

Andrew William Glover pursued the other driver and eventually attacked him through his open car window, having blocked his exit from a street, in Peterlee.

Durham Crown Court heard it followed a cutting-in maneouvre by Glover, in his Mitsubishi Colt, in front of the other driver’s car, as they headed south on the A19.

The other driver made a two-fingered gesture to Glover, who followed him as he left the A19, confronting him in Stafford Place, Peterlee, after calling him, “a disrespectful little s**t.”

He landed several punches through his open window and the 27-year-old victim was left with a bloodied face, needing eight stitches, three internal, to a cut above his right eye brow.

Glover, 51, of Hedley Hill, near Tow Law, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm.

Adam Scott, for Glover, told a previous hearing: “He saw red and accepts what the witness said.”

The court was told Glover was a former military serviceman who was hard working, doing, “a responsible job” in the community.

Judge Christopher Prince passed a two-year community order to include 200 hours’ unpaid work and ten rehabilitation activity days.

He was also ordered to pay £3,000 compensation to the victim, for loss of earnings, £2,000 now and the remainder within six months, plus £340 costs.

The judge told him: “You allowed yourself to behave out of character.You clearly found his obscene gesture highly provocative”

But he added: “You have come very close to going to prison.

“Don’t think you will get a chance like this again.”