A retired schoolteacher would not have lashed out at a motorcyclist had he known she was a woman, a court heard.

John Edwards left his vehicle on the Robin Hood roundabout, Newbury, to assault a motorcyclist as she overtook him in stationary traffic.

He claimed that throughout the altercation he had no idea she was a woman, and would not have hit the 21-year-old on her helmet, had he known.

Prosecuting at Newbury Magistrates’ Court, Sarah MacKay, said: “Kathleen Randall was riding her bike from Newbury town centre and there was stationary traffic, which she overtook and moved forward in the queue. She said a silver Jaguar attempted to under take her.”

When the traffic stopped again, Edwards got out of his Jaguar and hit her on the top of her helmet 'really hard’.

Ms MacKay said: “She stated that he grabbed her right arm and said: 'Get off your f***ing bike.’”

The 67-year-old then grabbed Ms Randall’s chin rest and tried to yank it off, before another driver, Susan Wright, got out of her car and told Edwards to leave Ms Randall alone.

She said she was left stunned and there was no reason why the driver should have felt provoked to attack the motorcyclist.

Ms MacKay said: “In the police interview, Edwards said that the bike came along really close and said, as the motorbike went past the biker was giving him the V sign. He said at no point did he know the biker was female.”

Defending, Phil Kouvaritakis, said that Edwards had endured a very difficult 12 months and had let his frustrations bottle up after the death of both his mother and younger sister.

He said: “At no point did Mr Edwards know the motorcyclist was a female, and would not have clipped her round the ears, if he had known.

“He really was not in a well state and was not conducting himself in the way he has for many years.”

Chairman of magistrates, Geoff Howard, said: “You need to be extremely careful in behaviour like this. If you have got personal problems, then you should not be driving basically. Grabbing someone, you could get a good hiding yourself and given your age that could be a disaster.”

Edwards, of Merle Bank, admitted one count of assault by beating on January 24, 2015.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and was ordered to pay £100 in compensation to Ms Randall and court costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £15.