DAVID Webb went into 'cyclist rage' after a painful misjudgement due to drug deprivation, a court was told.

Blackburn magistrates heard that the 49 year-old carpenter brandished a knife towards car driver Mark Birmingham, who he mistakenly believed had 'cut him up', causing him to brake hard and fall forward.

The court was told Mr Birmingham locked himself in his car and watched in terror as Webb scratched an X on his window and then attacked a door panel.

Webb, of Nelson Street, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour, possession of a bladed instrument and criminal damage. He was made subject to a community rehabilitation order for 12 months and ordered to pay £200 compensation and £65 costs.

Basharat Ditta, defending, said his client's long-standing addiction to drugs was behind the incident. He said his client was taking a combination of nitrazipam and methadone, the heroin substitute.

At the time of the incident he was cycling to the chemist to collect a prescription and he had not had any medication since the previous day.

Mr Ditta said: "Unfortunately when he hasn't taken his medication he gets confused and irritable and his judgement is impaired."