A former police officer has been put on probation for 12 months after an angry rant at his ex-partner outside her workplace.

Steven Andrew Ward, of Richmond Hill, in Santon, admitted an offence of provoking behaviour committed on November 8.

The 51-year-old must also pay £125 prosecution costs and has been referred to mental health services with magistrates saying that he needed help with anger management.

Prosecutor James Robinson said Ward was waiting outside his ex-girlfriend’s workplace in Tromode at 8am.

When she arrived, he and opened her car door shouting: ’You think you pair are going to Australia do you?’

Ward was said to be ’raging’, angry about money he had given the woman previously.

She sounded her car horn, hoping to attract help, which caused people to look out of their windows. Ward was described by witnesses as ’very angry and aggressive’ pointing his finger at the woman’s face. Someone shouted to the woman asking if she was okay, to which she shook her head. Ward then drove away from the scene.

He handed in a prepared statement to police and gave a ’no comment’ response to all questions.

In court, Ward entered a basis of plea which was not accepted by the prosecution.

Ward said he had given the woman £4,000 for shoulder surgery which he thought she may have now been using to go to Australia. He claimed part of his abuse was in response to an insult from the woman and added he had been speaking rather than shouting.

Advocate Paul Rodgers said his client had previously been a police officer for 27 years. Mr Rodgers said Ward had been married and it had ended after an affair with the current complainant.

’He was with her a number of years, there was another affair, and that relationship ended.

’He accepts he doesn’t handle his emotions as well as he ought to.’

Magistrates ruled the difference of opinion over the basis of plea did not make a material difference to sentencing.