A SUPERMARKET delivery driver had to leave his job after he was racially abused and had de-icer sprayed into his eyes by a furious resident.

The driver was completing a delivery in Clacton when 65-year-old David Ayres wound down his car window and hurled abuse.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard Ayres had become incensed with delivery drivers blocking the roads around his home.

The court heard the delivery driver tried to explain there was nowhere else to park, but Ayres hurled racist abuse, including telling the victim to ‘f*** off home, foreigner’.

A short time later, Ayres approached the driver and sprayed him with de-icer from an aerosol can.

The victim drove away, but was able to record Ayres’ registration details, which he passed on to the police.

Ayres admitted assault and racially aggravated harassment.

In a victim impact statement, the delivery driver detailed how he had been left with blurriness in his left eye and he “didn’t know whether it would be permanent”.

He said after the attack he was unable to work for a week due to his blurred vision, eventually having to quit his job altogether.

A pre-sentence report carried out by the probation service revealed Ayres had problems with delivery drivers “racing through” the area near his home and “not paying attention”.

The court heard Ayres, who has no previous convictions, lost his job in December last year and had been suffering with depression.

Raph Pigott, mitigating, said: “The first words came from the driver, he responded in an utterly unacceptable way.”

District Judge Timothy King said Ayres, of The Spinney, Clacton, had reacted in a “completely over the top” manner.

He ordered Ayres to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay a £120 fine.

He must pay £250 in compensation to the delivery driver.