A MAN who drove a car at a retired teacher after a car park disagreement could face jail after being convicted for dangerous driving.

Lee Meola was found guilty by a jury after a trial at Worcester Crown Court.

Judge Patrick Thomas delayed sentencing for pre-sentence reports but warned Meola jail was a possibility.

During the trial, retired teacher Lyn Payne was in tears as she described how she was nearly run down in a Stourport-on-Severn supermarket car park.

She said 23-year-old Meola had said to her: “I’m going to find out where you live and burn your house down.”

Meola, of Malham Road, Burlish Park, Stourport, had denied dangerous driving and making threats.

The incident started when Mrs Payne refused to let Meola into a line of traffic after he parked in a drop-off bay. He followed her and she felt small bumps at the back of her car. She stopped and took Meola’s registration number.

When she parked further on, he stopped behind her and shouted threats, she alleged. She ignored him but as she walked across the car park, he came close to driving into her.

Shopper Sandra Oakes said she heard an engine revving. “I saw a car being driven directly at her,” she said. “If she hadn’t jumped out of the way he would have hit her.”

Passer-by Gary Peplow estimated the car’s speed at 20mph in a 5mph zone. “I thought the driver was out for some sort of vengeance or road rage,” he said.

Meola told PC Nicola Hampshire he was annoyed Mrs Payne would not let him out. He felt she was “taking the mickey” by driving slowly around the car park.

He stopped to “have a go” but denied making threats. He claimed she had stepped slowly in front of him just to wind him up and he apologised if she felt frightened.

Meola’s partner, Emma Beard, was in the car with their three-year-old daughter. She said he was angry but denied he had deliberately aimed the car at her former PE teacher.