Raging Peter Merrett drove into his son's stolen motorbike while pursuing the people who he thought had stolen it.
It was not the first time a motorcycle had been stolen from his son and they had previously been recovered from the Longbenton area of North Tyneside.
He drove to that area on the off-chance and spotted two "boys" riding the bike.
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A court heard he saw red and drove dangerously in pursuit of it, accidentally colliding with it from behind.
Now Merrett, 39, of Kelvin Place, Forest Hall, has been given a suspended prison sentence at Newcastle Crown Court after he admitted dangerous driving.
The incident happened on September 11 last year when he saw the bike coming in the opposite direction.
He turned round the chased after it at speed, striking a wall, causing damage to his car at one point.
But he continued the pursuit into a residential area of Longbenton.
Sentencing him, Recorder Geoffrey Pritchard said he was pursuing it so closely: "When it stopped, you were unable to stop and struck the back of it with the bonnet of your car.
"This is not a case of using the car as a weapon, it's more akin to a road rage type case.
"The driving took no concern for the safety of members of the public in a residential area at a busy time of day."
Merrett, who has eleven previous convictions, was sentenced to four months suspended for 18 months with rehabilitation and an 18 month driving ban.
He pleaded guilty on the basis he did not drive deliberately at the motorbike to hit it, but rather the accident was caused as a result of the speed he was doing and his stopping distance.
Jennifer Coxon, defending, said: "He fully accepts his wrongdoing.
"He accepts he saw red.
"It was not the first time his son had a motorbike stolen.
"His son lives in Longbenton and he was aware people might be riding around on it. He decided to go via that area to see if he could find anything and he did.
"He took matters into his own hands and should not have done.
"This was clouded judgement. He saw red in a situation where he felt he needed to take control."
Miss Coxon said Merrett works full time and has five children, including a three-year-old who lives with him.
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