A ROAD rage incident in Skipton resulted in one man being handed a suspended prison sentence and 40 hours unpaid work.

Simon Kneeshaw leapt out of his car and armed himself with a wheel brace following an exchange of hand gestures with another driver, Skipton magistrates heard on Friday.

Kneeshaw, 29, had cut in front of the other man as he excited Morrisons Supermarket at around 2.45pm on December 22 last year.

He got the brace out of his car and smashed the headlight of the other man's Peugeot 207.

It had all taken place in front of members of the public, including the young families of both men, the court heard.

Kneeshaw, who had earlier admitted criminal damage and using threatening behaviour, had previous convictions for public order offences and of racially aggravated harassment.

In mitigation, Julian White said both men had squared up to each other and that Kneeshaw faced a much larger man.

"He realised he had bitten off more than he could chew, was frightened and went for the bar," said Mr White.

He added it was an 'unsavoury' incident between two 'hotheads'. "Both behaved stupidly and one went one step beyond and because of that, he has ended up in the dock."

Despite the length of time it had taken, it would have been frightening to anyone in the area at the time, he acknowledged.

Kneeshaw, of Atlanta Terrace, Halifax, was handed a 12 week prison sentence suspended for 12 months and ordered to carry out 40 hours unpaid work.

He will also be subject to 12 months supervision and programme to help anger management. He will also have to pay costs of £250, compensation of £30 and victims surcharge of £80.