A lorry driver spat on an elderly lady’s car after she beeped her horn at him.
Allan Thomas was reversing a concrete mixer when Christine McCallum beeped her horn three times at him as she felt he couldn’t see her.
Thomas, 40, admitted he shouted, swore and spat on 70-year-old, Ms McCallum’s car on August 18, in Johnstone’s Auchengreoch Road, last year.
Procurator fiscal depute Maria Murdoch told Paisley Sheriff Court: “Around 1.30pm, Ms McCallum was due to attend a hospital appointment at the Royal Alexandra Hospital.
“On her way there, she observed a large concrete mixer lorry performing a three point turn in the road.
“McCallum sounded her horn to alert the driver of her presence and at this time, the lorry continued to reverse.
“McCallum sounded her horn again and then had to reverse her car to avoid being struck by the lorry.
“She sounded her horn a third time and the accused alighted from the lorry and approached McCallum.
“The accused began to shout and swear at the complainer calling her a ‘f*****g b***h.’
“Thomas continued to shout and swear in an aggressive manner.
“McCallum attended her appointment and returned around 2.40pm and saw the accused still there.
“The accused got out of his vehicle and approached the complainer.
“He shouted, ‘f*****g b***h’ and ‘shut the f**k up I’m talking.’
“Ms McCallum drove off through fear of escalation after the accused shouted, ‘you ran over my foot.’
“Police attended a short time later and the accused was cautioned and charged where he made no reply.
“While still under caution, the accused stated, ‘I apologise, I shouldn’t have spat on the car.’”
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Defence Agent Kirsty McGeehan told the court how Thomas described his behaviour as “awful.”
She explained: “Mr Thomas is genuinely disgusted by his behaviour.
“Auchengreoch Road is a building site that Thomas worked at and he was going in to the site at the time.
“The complainer repeatedly sounded her horn as she felt he couldn’t see her, but the lorry has a rear-view camera and was able to the complainer perfectly.
“What wasn’t mentioned is that Thomas was seen by paramedics due to the complainer running over his foot.
“The paramedics said he suffered soft tissue damage as a result.
“He admits this was dreadful conduct that he is remorseful for.”
Sheriff Bruce Erroch QC said: “However much you may have felt that you were being provoked, your behaviour was disgraceful and no doubt you regret that.
Thomas, from Alexandria was fined £140 to be paid at £10 per week.
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