Motorist pursued his ex after seeing her with another man

Nicky Hardstaff struck the woman’s vehicle from behind and then as she headed for Skegness Police Station his vehicle hit her car again.

Caroline Bradley , prosecuting, said that the woman stopped on Lumley Road, Skegness, and there was an altercation.

Miss Bradley said the victim was driving her partner towards Skegness when the incident occurred in April 2013. At the time Hardstaff was the subject of a court order banning him from contacting her.

The prosecutor said “She was driving her car from Spilsby to Skegness. She became aware of a vehicle travelling behind her but didn’t realise it was the defendant.

“He appeared to speed up at points. She became aware of an impact to the rear of her car causing her to skid.

“Her partner went to get out but she requested him to leave it and drove off to the police station.

“The defendant was ramming her vehicle pushing her along the road. On Lumley Road she managed to stop and an altercation took place.”

Hardstaff, 27, of Lowgate Avenue, Bicker, admitted charges of dangerous driving and breach of a non-molestation order.

He was given a 12 month jail sentence suspended for two years with two years supervision and a four month night-time curfew.

On Friday, Judge Simon Hirst disqualified him from driving for two years and ordered him to pay £1,000 prosecution costs and £1,048 compensation.

The judge told Hardstaff “If this case had come before me in the summer of 2013 I would without any doubt have immediately locked you up. What saves you is that it is now the age that it is, you have stayed out of trouble and there have been no problems as far as this lady is concerned.”

John McNally, defending, produced a bundle of references in support of Hardstaff and told the court “He saw her. He responded to the sight of her with another man by pursuing her in his car.”

He said the incident happened almost three years ago and in the intervening period Hardstaff has matured.