A disqualified driver threatened to rip a man's throat out and kill him after chasing him in his car, a court was told.

John Pitson, of Van Dieman's, Stanford in the Vale, near Faringdon, denies common assault, damaging property, three counts of dangerous driving and three counts of driving without a licence.

Oxford Crown Court heard on December 2 that Pitson, 23, chased Paul Bolton bumper-to-bumper at high speeds along the A420 towards Swindon, near Faringdon, on Sunday, July 14.

Barnaby Evans, prosecuting, said Pitson blocked both sides of the road with his Peugeot 205 and threatened to kill Mr Bolton.

He got away but was trailed again by Pitson until he reached The Swan pub, near Park Road, Faringdon.

Mr Bolton claimed Pitson, whom he knew, had bullied him for a year.

He said: "I was scared so I headed for the pub where I knew people would be. Then he started swearing and told me he was going to shoot me and smash my car up."

Pitson is also accused of causing £100 worth of damage to the bumper of Mr Bolton's Citroen AX and threatening to run down two men in a separate incident the following day.

Defending, Nick Syfret said a man known as Bonehead was driving the car and Pitson was a passenger.

He added: "I don't believe the chase along the A420 even happened."

The case continues.