An elderly man with a foul tongue allegedly threatened to strike a single traffic enforcement officer after growing furious that a parking payment terminal kept refusing his coins, a court was told.

Body camera footage showed 77-year-old Stephen Doughty swearing, making violent threats and assaulting enforcement officer Wendy Williams at the Seven Stars car park in Welshpool on 12 November.

The Magistrates’ Court in Welshpool was informed that Ms Williams was inspecting a parking payment terminal near the car park when Doughty began saying that someone needed to repair the machine.

As Ms Williams continued her rounds, Doughty went back to his car. The officer’s handheld device showed that no parking payment had been made for the vehicle.

When the officer approached, Doughty informed her he was waiting for his partner. He warned her that issuing him a ticket would be the last one she ever gave.

The court was told he then exited his vehicle and approached the officer, shouting insults and making threats.

He allegedly made crude comments about whether she wanted to bet on getting hit, using profanity and asking if she wanted him to strike her immediately.

He also told her to join the Army.

Doughty slapped the officer’s hand that was holding the handheld device, called her work a degrading job, pointed at her face and warned her to be careful, then slapped her hand a second time.

When Ms Williams told him his conduct constituted an assault, Doughty responded with further abusive language, telling her to leave, calling her a nuisance, and telling her to return to Newtown before going back to his car.

Body camera footage shown to the court then captured a civilian employee from Dyfed-Powys Police confronting Doughty.

He told him not to do that and not to touch her, stating he had witnessed the incident and demanding an apology, noting she was alone carrying out her work.

After the incident, Ms Williams gave Doughty an additional 10 minutes to buy a parking ticket from the payment terminal.

Prosecutor Helen Tench stated the assault had a negative effect on the traffic warden. No physical injuries were reported.

In a police interview, Doughty said he had become frustrated because the machine would not accept his coins, claiming police were more interested in exploiting an elderly person.

In his defence, solicitor Robert Hanratty said Doughty, who appeared in court in a wheelchair, admitted fault for his behaviour.

He acknowledged that when he becomes agitated he does use profanity, and the Probation Service had recognised he experiences anxiety.

He expressed deep regret about the incident. She was simply doing her job and endures a great deal of abuse. Unfortunately, he chose to direct his frustration at Ms Williams.

Probation officer Julian Davies said Doughty became extremely frustrated when coins repeatedly fell out of the machine and believed the officer was being dismissive.

He expressed sincere regret for his actions and stated he did not intend to assault the officer.

The court heard Doughty, a retired HGV driver, has two prior convictions for battery and threatening behaviour.

Magistrates imposed a £500 fine and ordered him to pay £200 compensation to Ms Williams. He was also ordered to pay a £200 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs, making a total of £985.