A MAN riding an off-road motorbike pulled alongside a car and gave the driver a middle finger gesture and shouted abuse before riding off at speed.

Blackburn magistrates heard the driver of the car was an off duty police officer who knew Jordan Lee Gordon from previous dealings with him.

But Neil Howard, defending, said his client had been unaware the car driver was a police officer.

Gordon, 26, of Selborne Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and other than in accordance with a licence and criminal damage to a car.

He was ordered to pay £250 compensation for the damage to the car and his licence endorsed with six penalty points. As a result he was banned for six months under the totting-up procedure.

Stacey Morrow, prosecuting, sad the officer was driving along Bolton Road when he became aware of an off-road motorcycle by a junction revving his engine.

“The bike pulled out behind the car before pulling alongside,” said Miss Morrow.

“He put a middle finger up and shouted abuse before speeding off.”

Miss Morrow said further up the road the bike was stopped at lights when the car pulled alongside.

“Stones were thrown at his car, damaging a window and a panel,” said Miss Morrow.

“The driver of the car was a police officer who identified the defendant having had previous dealings with him.”

Mr Howard said his client accepted he should not have been on the road on the bike which he normally rode on tracks. He said the officer slowed when he saw the bike which he thought might have been driven in an anti-social manner in the area in the recent past.

“There was a dispute between them but my client maintains he did not know the car driver was a police officer,” said Mr Howard. “He accepts he threw a stone at the car.”