A MAN has been punished for pushing a parking warden...seven months after the incident, and even though he handed himself into police within a few hours.

Gareth Bayford pulled up on single yellow line in Clacton in March and was warned by a warden he was parked illegally.

When the man went to ticket Bayford, he got out of the car and became abusive before pushing him and grabbing hold of his body-worn camera.

The worker told Bayford he would report him - so the 36-year-old handed himself into Clacton police station on the same day.

He did not hear anything back from police until August and was not summonsed to court until this week.

Evelyn Hicks, mitigating, said: “This is the first time before the court.

“He didn’t think he was parked illegally, but accepts the warden has to do his job.

“Immediately, he knew his behaviour had crossed the line of what was acceptable and handed himself into the police station on the same day.

“He is very ashamed and would like to apologise to the victim.”

Bayford, of Sea Way, Jaywick, admitted assault at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

Chairman of the bench Anthony Ealden said: “We don’t like assaults on public sector workers - they have got a job to do and their job is not an easy one.”

He was fined £40 and must pay £135 in court charges.