Motorist blocked police speed camera van in Dorset

The lay-by where the incident happened on the A348 at Ferndown. Picture by BNPS (Image: BNPS) Robert Salame, prosecuting, said: "Richard Mackenzie was operating a safety camera in Ferndown, in a layby monitoring for speed offences.

"At 12.34pm the defendant stopped his Peugeot tipper-type vehicle in the layby to take a phone call, obstructing the view of the camera. "Mr Mackenzie informed the driver he was compromising the ability of the camera and asked him to move. He ignored this request because he was on the phone.

"He asked again and the defendant told him to 'f*** off'. The defendant then challenged Mr Mackenzie and he and another male, his brother, launched a tirade of abuse. "He (Mr Mackenzie) retired inside his van.

"Mr Mackenzie, feeling the stress, radioed the police to attend. The defendant returned to his vehicle and drove away before the police arrived. "Mr Mackenzie said 'I was simply trying to conduct my duties and get on with my work, I shouldn't be subjected to abuse in this way.

It was so unnecessary'." Arnold, from Bournemouth, told the court his baby grandson had been rushed into hospital on the day of the incident and his behaviour was out of character. Representing himself, he said he was sorry.

He said: "The phone went in my truck and my hands free wasn't working so I thought I would do the right thing and pull into the layby. "There was the speed camera, a gap then a big van so I pulled into the gap to take this phone call that was really important to me. "All he said was move and I explained I'm on the phone to the hospital, please give me five minutes.

"I said things I shouldn't have said and I apologise to the court for that. It was a foolish mistake and will never happen again." The court heard Arnold, a father of eight and grandfather of 14, is self-employed in waste removal and a full-time carer for his teenage son.

Iain Stevenson, chair of the bench, told him: "As we saw in the video, this was a pretty horrendous incident. It was very frightening and completely unwarranted upon the police support officer. "There are absolutely no mitigating circumstances in that video.

Your behaviour was frankly diabolical and appalling, towards somebody doing their duty. "Your offences are serious enough for us to make a community order." The magistrates ordered Arnold to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and to pay GBP150 compensation to Mr Mackenzie.

He also has to pay costs totalling GBP349.