The driver of a minibus taking elderly and disabled people for a day out kicked the wing mirror off a car in a road rage stand-off.
Michael Stewart had been dropping his mother off after a festive day out when he got into a row with another driver over there not being enough room for their vehicles to pass.
The 27-year-old got out of the minibus, shouted at the man and kicked the wing mirror of his car off before his mother dragged him away.
Fiscal depute Lynzi Souter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The complainer in this case was known to the accused prior to this incident.
“The accused was driving a van which was used by a local community group to transport elderly and disabled people to various social activities.
“It appears at the time it was just the accused and his mother who were within. Within the complainer’s vehicle, there was himself and his wife.
“The information I have is that there had been a number of issues between the complainer and this community group over a number of years due to a dispute about where this van is parked when they pick up and drop off people.
“This had been the catalyst for this incident.
“At 10.15pm the complainer had left his home and went into his vehicle to collect his son from Aberdeen.
“As he was driving out of the car park the community group van or minibus entered the car park. The road is not wide enough for two vehicles to pass.
“The complainer reversed his vehicle and at this point he saw the accused making various offensive hand gestures towards him.
“The accused then got out of the van or minibus and approached the complainer’s vehicle.
“He was shouting at the complainer and also kicked the offside wing mirror of the complainer’s vehicle, which caused the wing mirror to come detached completely from the vehicle.
“The accused’s mother got out of the van and took the accused away. The matter was later reported to police.”
Stewart, of St Marys, Monymusk, pled guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.
The incident happened at Bonnyview Drive in Aberdeen on December 18 last year.
Defence agent Gregor Kelly told the court the matter was a “source of regret” to his client, adding: “He shouldn’t have lost his temper.”
He said Stewart was unaware of quite the level of animosity there was as he was not the only person who drove the minibus.
Mr Kelly went on: “Mr Stewart was driving the bus on this occasion and there had been a festive trip.
“He’d driven the disabled and elderly people back to their residences and the final trip was to drop his mother off at her sheltered housing.
“The gesticulation initially was to allow him a couple of minutes to see his mother in.
“He perceived the complainer was agitated and there was a stand-off.
“Mr Stewart then gets out and behaves in the manner narrated. He shouldn’t have done that.
“He feels the complainer should have shown more patience, but so should he.”
Mr Kelly added Stewart no longer drove the minibus.
Sheriff Graeme Napier ordered Stewart to carry out 50 hours of unpaid work.
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