A ROAD rage driver chased a caretaker at the wheel of a school bus onto the grounds of a private college in Cheshire and assaulted him in front of pupils, a court heard.

Jobless former heating engineer Darren Peter Bennett, 46, admitted twice shoving the 60-year-old driver after following his minibus, which was not carrying pupils at the time, into King's School car park.

Bennett, who was angry because the caretaker had 'cut him up' in traffic, had to be warned off by a teacher.

Macclesfield magistrates heard how pupils were nearby as an 'abusive and threatening' Bennett at one point drove towards the man, who also acts as a bus driver at the school, saying: "I will run you over". Bennett was sentenced to six months community punishment after pleading guilty to common assault.

He was shouting and appeared 'half in and half out' of his Vauxhall Astra as he followed the bus along Pownall Street and through the school gates, before getting out of his car and swearing.

Jonathan McGahan, prosecuting, told the court. "A teacher heard a commotion. She asked what the defendant was doing on school grounds and asked him to leave," he said.

He said Bennett then got back in his vehicle while the caretaker got out of the bus. Bennett then reached out of the car window and pushed the caretaker.

'Pushed'

Mr McGahan continued: “He used the words 'I will run you over'. The defendant again leant out of the window and pushed (him) a second time."

Lesley Herman, defending, said Bennett was unhappy at being forced to 'brake violently' when the school bus crossed the road in front of him. She said in a police interview he said he would not have followed the bus onto the premises had he known it was a school.

"He said he remained calm throughout as he had learnt from mistakes in the past. He apologised to the teacher when he realised it was a school.

"He accepts he should have reported the bad driving to police."

Bennett, of Buxton Road, Disley, was serving a 12-month community order at the time of the offence.

He had an alcohol problem but was not currently drinking, Mrs Herman told the court.

Anthony Hammersley, chairman of the bench, said he accepted there had been some provocation, but added: "The incident took place in school grounds where pupils were present or at least able to see what was going on.

"You displayed abusive behaviour and pushing or shoving occurred twice. You did cause alarm and distress to the person you assaulted."

Bennett was sentenced to six-month's community punishment with supervision for six months, a three-month alcohol treatment programme and 60 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £85 compensation to the driver.