A MAN drove his car at his friend's ex-partner after the ex lashed out thinking he was a love rival.

Neal Grant was trying to do a favour for a friend, Stephanie Bauld, when her ex-boyfriend, Connor Hart, began drunkenly kicking off.

But the 29-year-old found himself in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court after he twice drove his vehicle at Mr Hart.

Depute fiscal Ryan Watson told the court of the events of the early hours of July 5, 2020, in Glasgow's East End.

Mr Watson told how Mr Hart contacted his ex-partner, Ms Bauld, to say he'd been knocked down by a car.

Ms Bauld and Grant travelled to the Haghill area of Glasgow to look for Mr Hart.

She made attempts to call her ex but couldn't get through, the court was told, and eventually found him wandering the streets heavily intoxicated.

Mr Hart said he had lost his phone so the group of three made their way to Kennyhill Square in an attempt to look for it.

In the car, Mr Hart ignored Grant and and said to Ms Bauld: "So you are with him then?"

Mr Hart became increasingly aggressive towards Grant and tried to persuade Ms Bauld to come home with him.

The group got out of the car to look for the phone and eventually Grant returned to his vehicle.

Mr Hart then kicked the accused's vehicle before picking up a traffic cone, which he threw over the top of the car.

At this point, the court was told, Grant, from Coatbridge, drove aggressively towards Mr Hart.

Mr Hart began swearing and punching at the car window so Grant drove the car aggressively towards him again.

The depute fiscal said: "This was seen by several civilian witnesses who called the police.

"The three parties left the area before the police came but the accused was seen on CCTV and later traced."

When Grant was arrested, cautioned and charged he replied: "No comment".

Sheriff Allan McKay said: "It is not the first time this man has driven aggressively.

"It's not even the second time.

"He is on a community payback order at the moment, which seems to be going really well.

"The [criminal justice social work] report indicated that you are an intelligent man and capable and I am pleased to hear you have got a job and are working away at it.

"You have had an active couple of years in terms of criminality, which you came to rather late in life but you seem to be moving away from it.

"One of the things you will be moving away from is driving."

The sheriff disqualified Grant from driving for 45 months, reduced from 50 months thanks to an early guilty plea.

He was also ordered to pay a fine of £900 reduced from £1000 thanks to the same.