Road rage driver Tom Beaney has been jailed for four months after chasing after a mechanic who told him he could not fix his girlfriend's car.

Beaney, 25, was angry when the Mercedes Sprinter van driven by Steve Fullagar damaged a manhole cover at his home in St Albans.

Prosecutor Alex Krikler told St Albans crown court yesterday that Nationwide Mobile had been called out to mend the Ford Focus at around 8 o'clock in the morning.

He said Mr Fullagar told Beaney that could not carry out the car repair. He drove off after Beaney told him: "You broke the f...... man hole cover. You are going to do it today."

But Beaney rang him and asked him to come back as he had taken the key to the Focus with him.

When he returned Mr Fullagar agreed to repair the car, but turned his van around and drove off along Rodney Avenue.

He was chased by Beaney who had got into the Focus. He revved his engine and swerved across the road and onto the pavement in an attempt to overtake the van on both sides.

Beaney finally got in front of the van and skidded to a halt, causing Mr Fullagar to crash into the back of the Focus. He drove around the car, but Beaney moved forward crashed into its side.

Mr Krikler said Mr Fullagar drove along London Road and then went around the roundabout at Orient Close.

Beaney was still in pursuit and drove the wrong way around the roundabout so they ended up facing each other Beaney shouted: "You're dead. You are a dead man. Open the door and get out."

But Mr Fullagar remained inside and drove off. "He was scared for his life," said the prosecutor .

The police had been called by Mr Fullagar and other witnesses and Beaney was arrested.

More than £7,000 worth of damage was caused to the van and the Focus was written off.

Beaney, of Rodney Avenue, pleaded guilty to driving dangerously on May 21, 2014.

He had six convictions for seven offences. He was in breach of a suspended sentence imposed in March 2013 for the theft of a large amount of diesel.

Andel Singh, defending, said that Beaney conceded that his actions merited a jail sentence, but he asked the judge to suspend it. He said,with the exception of the dangerous driving,

Beaney had abided by the terms of his suspended sentence. Beaney had been working as a landscape gardener, was supporting his family and was not claiming benefits, said Mr Singh.

But Judge Stephen Warner jailed him immediately and banned him from driving for 15 months, saying he must take an extended retest before he regains his licence.

He told him: "You lost your temper and self control. It was 8 o'clock in the morning when there would have been pedestrians, including children on their way to school.

"Your driving showed a complete disregard to the risks."