An Exmouth victim of road rage is dismayed her attacker was not jailed. Leanne Anglin said she has been fearful of driving since Robert White attacked her car with a claw hammer.

Leanne Anglin, 24, had been driving her VW Polo from Exeter towards the A376 with boyfriend Ciaran Minshull, 19, when attacker Robert White, of Langstone Drive, Exmouth, began chasing the couple in his van after a dispute over right of way on the road.

Hairdresser Miss Anglin said she was angry White had not been jailed for his intimidating behaviour.

She said she has been fearful of driving since White, 25, chased her vehicle along the Clyst St Mary dual carriageway in a rage, smashing her rear window when he caught up with her and lobbed a claw hammer in anger.

Miss Anglin said her attacker tried to send a grovelling apology when he tracked her down on social networking site, Facebook. He sent her a personal message saying his behaviour was as a result of the first anniversary of his father’s death, and occured driving back from visiting his grave.

Miss Anglin said: “When it comes to driving in a built up area and road works now, it scares me quite a lot.”

White wrote: “I was on my way back from visiting his funeral [sic] so I spose even though its no excuse I was feeling pretty low and was maybe on edge a bit.

“Anyway I really am sorry still can’t believe I done that! It makes me cringe every time I think of what happened!

“I just wanted to make sure there’s no hard feelings and wanted to make sure more importantly that ur ok??”

Exeter magistrates slapped White, a carpenter, with an 18-month suspended jail sentence and ordered him to pay �472.50 in compensation to Miss Anglin.

His licence was endorsed with six penalty points.