A MAN has been jailed after he brandished a golf club at a mother and her teenage daughters during a road rage incident. Gary Michael Porter, 46, of Windmill Close, Ely, drove extremely close to Emma Vickery s rear bumper as she travelled from Soham

A MAN has been jailed after he brandished a golf club at a mother and her teenage daughters during a road rage incident.

Gary Michael Porter, 46, of Windmill Close, Ely, drove "extremely close" to Emma Vickery's rear bumper as she travelled from Soham to Ely at speeds of 60mph.

When she stopped in a queue of rush hour traffic in Silver Street, Ely Porter shouted a torrent of abuse at her through his window and got out a golf club.

Judge Anthony Bate sent Porter to prison for 20 days on a charge of affray. He also disqualified him from driving for three months.

Sentencing the defendant at Cambridge Crown Court on Tuesday (February 9 2010), Judge Bate said: "This was a disgraceful and frightening example of a road rage incident in an Ely street one afternoon.

"In my judgement this offence was serious that only imprisonment is justified for it."

The court heard how Porter, a ground worker, drives regularly as part of his job.

He was travelling to Ely shortly before 5pm on December 10 2009 when he came behind Emma Vickery, who was travelling with her teenage daughters.

Prosecutor Sara Walker said: "She became aware of a white van behind her. It was extremely close to her bumper and it caused her concern. She was travelling at 60mph and she didn't want to speed up."

Porter stayed close behind as Ms Vickery slowed down going into Ely. She later stopped in a queue of traffic in Silver Street.

Porter sounded his horn and shouted abuse at her, telling her to get out of the way.

The court heard how there was not much room for Ms Vickery to manoeuvre her vehicle out of the way. Meanwhile Porter was revving his engine behind her.

He continued to shout at her while he leant out of his van window. He also took out the golf club.

Ms Vickery and her young passengers were so frightened they locked the car doors to protect themselves.

Defending, Mark Shelley said that Porter had been having a bad day at work and that when he saw there was a woman and teenage girls in the car, he drew back.

Mr Shelley said: "This was clearly very upsetting for the family involved.

"It will clearly make him think twice about losing his temper again. He is genuinely remorseful and he did take a step back when he realised there were vulnerable people in the car."

ENDS (412 words)