A 31-year-old man who brandished a metal wheel brace during a road rage incident in Hawick has been fined £400 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Radoslaw Farbis pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner on Weensland Road on the morning of June 4.

The court heard how he got annoyed with a van driver in front of him.

Farbis, of Inchmyre in Kelso, then overtook the van and pulled in front of it and got out of his car holding the metal wheel brace.

The van driver was alarmed by his conduct and an onlooker contacted the police.

Defence lawyer Mat Patrick said his client acted without thinking.

He explained that his client had taken umbrage at the manner of the other man's driving and picked up the wheel brace which was sitting next to him when he went to confront the driver.

Sheriff Kevin Drummond told Farbis his behaviour was "totally unnecessary".