WHEN Simon Kneeshaw leaped from his car after exchanging two fingered gestures with the driver of a Peugeot, he realised he had bitten off more than he could chew, magistrates were told.

Seeing that the driver who got out of the other car was of "much larger stature", he armed himself with a wheel wrench.

As the Peugeot driver jumped back into his car to return to his wife and three children, Kneeshaw hit the Peugeot's front headlight, cracking it.

The bench was told that the incident was sparked when Kneeshaw cut across lanes as he exited the filling station at Morrisons supermarket in Skipton on December 22, last year..

Gestures were exchanged and Kneeshaw of Atlanta Terrace, Halifax, who pleaded guilty to criminal damage and using threatening behaviour, stopped his car in front of the Peugeot.

He jumped out of his car followed by the driver of the Peugeot and then Kneeshaw produced a crowbar and hit the headlight.

Julian White, for the 29 year-old, said it was an unsavoury incident in which aggression, in the form of mouthing and gesticulation, was shown by both men.

"When the driver of the Peugeot got out, Mr Kneeshaw saw he had bitten off more than he could chew and armed himself with the wrench. He should have beaten a rapid retreat," said Mr White.

Magistrates adjourned the hearing for reports and warned Kneeshaw he could face jail or a community sentence.

He was remanded on bail until Friday August 15.