Double road rage offender avoids jail term after threatening antics

A driver who was involved in two road rage incidents within the space of a fortnight has avoided going to jail.

Gareth Johnstone, 29, of Calder Grove, Edinburgh, admitted that on September 2 last year at the Kingsgate Centre car park, Dunfermline, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting and swearing at a woman and threatening her with violence.

He also admitted on September 15 at Church Street, Inverkeithing, he assaulted a man by punching him on the head, and throwing a glass bottle at a stationary vehicle with passengers in it.

Depute-fiscal Carrie Stevens told Dunfermline Sheriff Court the woman was driving her car at lunchtime when she saw the accused’s car behind her.

As she parked he came over and said: “Aw you’re a bird, I thought you were a dude. You’re lucky you’re a bird because I was going to batter you. You shouldn’t cut people up.”

Less than a fortnight later, a man was driving through Rosyth at 8.20pm with his wife and sixyear-old son when he became aware of a car close behind him.

The driver pulled over to let him pass but Johnstone stopped, got out, and shouted: “Come on then. Get out of the car”, before swearing and threatening him with violence.

Johnstone then punched the man through the open window and threw a bottle at the car.

Solicitor Roshni Joshi said it was clear her client had “anger and anxiety issues”.

Sheriff MacNair told Johnstone: “These were two outrageous incidents of road rage committed within a fortnight.”

He ordered him to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work and imposed an 11-month restriction of liberty order.