A cyclist whose viral road rage attack on a female motorist saw him handed a suspended prison sentence has now been jailed after launching a similar foul-mouthed tirade at a woman walking with her newborn baby.
From Tesco Car Park to Beachfront Outburst
Peter Abbott, a 62-year-old self-employed translator from Bournemouth, first came to public attention in August 2023. He was filmed banging on motorist Samantha Isaac's windscreen in a Tesco car park, screaming abuse including calling her a "f****** tart" and a "whore". For that incident, he received a suspended prison sentence in May 2024 and was ordered to complete an anger management course.
However, new footage has revealed Abbott's latest eruption of anger, which occurred on the promenade at Alum Chine in Bournemouth. The 50-second video, filmed by a member of the public in December 2024, shows Abbott screaming expletives and threats.
A Terrifying Confrontation
The court heard that Abbott had been cycling behind a woman who was walking her dog and pushing her newborn baby. Prosecutor Laura Lohk stated that Abbott went "straight into" the woman's dog, though the defence claimed he stopped without contact. He then dismounted and began shouting and swearing.
In the video, Abbott is heard telling one man trying to intervene: "You shut the f*** up or you'll get a kick up the ar**, you *pr***." He then challenges another, yelling, "You keep your mouth shut." When the man suggests Abbott should look where he is going, the cyclist responds: "Why don't you shut the f..k up, you 'p...k'."
A woman behind the camera can be heard describing his behaviour as "disgusting". The victim later told the court she was "terrified" by Abbott's "pure rage", saying he was not forming coherent sentences.
Breach Leads to Custody
Abbott pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour to cause fear, distress or alarm. While this specific offence did not carry a jail term, it put him in breach of the suspended sentence from the Tesco car park incident.
His defence lawyer, Katherine Toth, argued Abbott had been struggling with loneliness and had completed his anger management course. She said he reacted after being intimidated by other members of the public and regretted his actions, claiming there had been "four or five dogs off the lead".
District Judge Orla Austin at Poole Magistrates' Court took a different view. She stated: "This is another episode of rage taken out on the public... I will not have you abusing and frightening members of the public in this way." She highlighted the presence of children during the outburst.
Judge Austin activated the suspended sentence, jailing Abbott for six weeks. He was also ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs. The judge noted the "considerable similarity" between the two incidents, which occurred just months apart.
