A man said to be pursuing a decade-long vendetta against the fire service has been convicted of harassment.

Clive Watson overtook an engine with its blue lights and sirens on, dangerously blocked its path and hurled abuse at firefighter Phillip Bendall, who was completing a driver training session, Maidstone Magistrates’ Court heard.

The 63-year-old, of The Broadway, Maidstone, told police he had followed the vehicle because he suspected the crew was simply “popping home” and not to the scene of an emergency.

Giving evidence at the trial, Mr Bendall said he first became aware of Watson when a car came speeding up behind him in Lower Stone Street at the junction with Old Tovil Road.

He said its lights were on full beam and, thinking it might have been an unmarked police car, allowed it to overtake.

But at the junction of Armstrong Road, the same Volkswagen estate pulled out in front of the emergency vehicle, blocking its path as it was about to pass a bus.

Driving instructor Eric Anderson gave evidence, describing it as a “do or die manoeuvre”, forcing Mr Bendall to brake hard and go over into the wrong side of the road.

He described Watson’s driving as erratic, and estimated he had overtaken the fire engine at a speed of around 50mph on the 30mph stretch.

When Mr Bendall came to a stop in Marion Crescent, Watson pulled up alongside and began quizzing him about which emergency he was responding to.

After being told the driver was under instruction, he told the firefighter of 19 years he was “out of order” for going through a red light and continued shouting and swearing at him.

But Mr Anderson confirmed Mr Bendall had complied with emergency response driving regulations.

Watson, who was not in court on Tuesday, was found guilty of the public order offence, which happened in October 2015, in his absence.

Sentencing was adjourned until Friday, April 21.