A JILTED lover chased his ex-girlfriend on the roads because he was convinced she was going to meet her new man.

Graham Long had separated from his partner of eight years.

But Long could not accept the relationship was over and became paranoid about her movements.

The 54-year-old, who runs Graham Long Car Centre, in Bromley Road, Colchester, was driving to her home on March 4 when he spotted her black Renault Megane on the road.

He then followed her for a few minutes before he overtook the car and stopped so she had to swerve around him.

The car salesman then screamed at her: “Where are you going? Are you seeing him? Tell me who he is.”

As she drove off, he carried on shouting at her through his open car window.

Long also continued to chase her vehicle through Ardleigh into Harwich Road, in Colchester.

During the chase, his ex had to drive in the middle of the road to make sure Long could not overtake her.

But he eventually drove around her car and stopped, so she could not get away.

Long then got out of the car, kicked her car door and broke her windscreen wiper.

Long, of Keelars Lane, in Wivenhoe, admitted criminal damage and using threatening and abusive behaviour when he appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

He had asked for a financial punishment but Donald Wicks, chairman of the bench, said: “These offences are serious enough for us to make a community order.

“This happened over a long period and it must have been very un-nerving for her.”

Long was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and must pay £85 in court costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Magistrates also granted a one-year restraining order.