A Craven councillor became the victim of a road rage incident when he overtook a man in a mobility vehicle, Skipton magistrates heard.

Coun Ady Green was chased to his home in Cowling on May 22 last year where he was punched and kicked by Ryan Gunnigle, whom he had earlier overtaken on his motorbike, the court heard on Monday.

Gunnigle, who was driving his Vauxhall Insignia mobility vehicle in carpet slippers because of diabetic complications, had overtaken Mr Green in what a witness described as an act of “lunacy”, the court was told.

Mr Green had then overtaken Gunnigle, who had chased him at speed all the way back to Colne Road, Cowling.

Prosecuting, Hilary Reece said Mr Green pulled into his driveway and still had his motorbike helmet on when Gunnigle came up to him.

“Mr Green fell over, got up and defended himself and there was a fight between them,” she said.

An off-duty police officer, believing he had come across a collision between two vehicles, got between the two men and told Gunnigle to retreat to his car.

Shortly afterwards, Gunnigle took off and was later arrested at his home in Wigan, said Mrs Reece.

Gunnigle, who originally denied assault by beating, changed his plea before Monday’s trial was due to take place.

In mitigation, Martin Jones said his client accepted he had been very angry and he should not have acted in the way he had, but he added something had happened on the road, there had been a fight and both men had suffered injuries.

He had been collecting his partner from her mother’s house in Keighley and was on his way home to Wigan at the time.

“Clearly something happened from Keighley to this area. He was not looking for trouble, he was not dressed for trouble, he was wearing carpet slippers. Whatever happened, he accepts it does not excuse his behaviour,” said Mr Jones.

Mr Green, who in addition to having a lump on his forehead and various cuts and bruises, had a ruined £350 suit, whereas Gunnigle suffered various bruises to his face and body.

Mr Jones said Gunnigle was a type one diabetic with nerve damage to his feet which led him to wear carpet slippers. He had left the scene because he feared he was about to go into a diabetic coma and needed something to eat.

Magistrates told Gunnigle, of Greenall Street, Ashton-in-Makerfield, said it had been a sustained attack with aggravating features in that he had used his feet, although he had been wearing slippers at the time.

They adjourned sentencing for reports and told him they were advising a medium-to-high-level punishment, including supervision and a curfew and an anger management programme.