A Bristol motorist has been given a suspended sentence after admitting deliberately reversing into the bicycle of a man with whom he had been engaged in what a judge described as a “road rage” incident.

Nathan Gilbert, aged 30 and from Knowle, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Bristol Crown Court last month, reports the Bristol Post.

The newspaper says that when he arrived at an earlier hearing in November he expected the law firm representing him, Palmer Ray, to contest the case on his behalf.

However, he discovered that the firm had gone out of business and chose to enter a guilty plea at the subsequent hearing.

Prosecuting counsel Nicholas O'Brien told the court that  that Gilbert, a builder who was driving a hired Peugeot 208, had turned into the path of cyclist Simon Johnson at the junction of Mina Road and St Werburgh's Park in February last year.

"The cyclist had the right of way,” said Mr O’Brien. “The defendant pulled out in front of the cyclist, causing him to be rather annoyed. There was an exchange of abuse between the two.

"At one stage the defendant said: 'Do you want me to drive into your bicycle?' The cyclist said 'yes' and the defendant reversed into the cycle, when he was off of it, and drove off."

The cyclist, whose account of events was supported by an independent witness, was not injured in the incident, but incurred costs of £40 in undertaking his own repairs to his bike.

Gregory Gordon, speaking in mitigation, said Gilbert was acting as part-time carer to two children from previous relationships and at the time of the incident was undergoing the breakdown of a relationship.

Gilbert himself admitted to a probation officer: "I had no intention of harming him. I was trying to intimidate him. It was stupid and foolhardy of me. It was the last straw. I regret all of it."

Recorder Mr Llewelyn Sellick sentenced Gilbert to four months' prison, suspended for 18 months, as well as an 18-month supervision order and 100 hours of unpaid work.

He told him: "It was an incident of road rage. You lost your temper over an incident when driving. I accept that you do regret what happened."

Gilbert was also banned from driving for a year and ordered to take an extended retest and pay £250 in costs, £40 compensation and an £80 victim surcharge.