A man has escaped a jail sentence for a road rage assault involving a teenager.
Anthony Hazelton drove carelessly and then hit the youth as he thought his driving was bad.
Chelmsford Crown Court heard how 18-year-old Simon Marsh was driving his Vauxhall Nova on the road between Weeley and Thorpe le Soken on August 31 last year.
Hazelton, 52, was behind him in a Fiat Uno and the court heard how he tailgated Mr Marsh and was seen gesticulating to him.
Passengers in Mr Marsh's car returned gestures before the Fiat overtook Mr Marsh and pulled in sharply in front of him, forcing him to swerve on to the kerb.
Hazelton, of Marine Parade East, Clacton, got out of his car and hit Mr Marsh before returning to his Fiat and driving off.
But he stopped further up the road, came back and said he was sorry for what had happened and said the police need not get involved, the court heard.
He denied charges of dangerous driving and common assault on Mr Marsh and his passenger Anthony Knighton at a trial last month.
The jury convicted him on the lesser charge of careless driving and the assault on Mr Marsh. He was cleared on the assault charge involving Mr Knighton.
Hazelton was fined £500 for careless driving with eight penalty points on his licence and told to pay Mr Marsh £150 compensation and pay £250 costs. He was also given a 125-hour community punishment order. Sentence had been adjourned for reports
Published Wednesday August 28, 2002
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