Man jailed after threatening and chasing stranger

A man has been jailed after threatening a stranger and attempting to rob him.

The victim was driving home when he saw a man he didn’t recognise standing at the bottom of his driveway in Trinity Road, Halstead, holding a piece of wood.

As he got closer, he wound his window down a little and asked him what he wanted.

The man - later identified as Aaron Rowe – asked if he knew a man called Jack, to which he responded no.

He then threatened to smash the victim’s window if he didn’t hand over £20.

The driver told him if he didn’t leave he would call police, but Rowe then swung the piece of wood at a car parked on the driveway and threatened to hit him.

The victim rang police and drove off to get away from Rowe, who chased him and twice hit the van’s bonnet with the wood.

Police arrived soon after and arrested him.

Rowe was charged with attempted robbery, attempting to cause criminal damage and criminal damage for the incident on 25 February.

The 24-year-old, of Magdalen Street, Colchester, admitted the offences at Chelmsford Crown Court on 8 October and was jailed for 15 months.

DC Kevin Flinn, of Braintree CID, said: “The court heard Rowe was under the influence of drink or drugs at the time and could not remember what happened.

“Fortunately the victim was unhurt but it left him fearful of a similar incident happening again.