A GESTURE made through the window of a car sparked a furious chase around the roads of south-west Hampshire and then a blistering assault, a court heard.

It all ended in New Forest Magistrates' Court when Tony Thornton, 35, of Butlers Close, Lockerley, near Romsey, was sent to prison for 16 weeks.

Prosecutor Ian Culley told magistrates that Mark Greenwood had put his hand up to acknowledge tree surgery boss Thornton.

But Thornton, who admitted common assault and causing criminal damage by kicking the door of a Ford Escort car, told the court through his solicitor Bret Johnson: "He may say it was a gesture, but Tony Thornton saw a very different gesture and turned his car round and gave chase."

Mr Culley explained that Mr Greenwood was a passenger in a Ford Escort driven by his girlfriend Kerry Phillips on the A36 at Wellow when he saw Thornton's Land Rover and put his hand up.

Mr Greenwood said he and his girlfriend then realised Thornton was tail-gating them and there was a frantic chase. His statement added: "Kerry was getting scared and we decided to drive to the police station in Totton."

Mr Culley added that when the couple were in Totton's Salisbury Road, Thornton's Land Rover cut across their path, forcing them to stop.

Both men then got out and Thornton hit Mr Greenwood four times in the face with a clenched fist, inflicting a bleeding nose, swelling to the left side of his face and a black and bruised left eye.

Mr Johnson said Thornton maintained he struck only one blow and he also referred to a history between the two men where Thornton made a report that caused Mr Greenwood to lose his job.

Thornton was alleged to have raised an arm in a threatening manner towards Miss Phillips. He told the bench: "The reason I raised my hand to the young lady was that she did have a car jack in her hand and was going to hit me over the head with it."