A man has been banned from a Dorchester farm after he threatened to burn down a barn.

Maurice Cooper age 46 and of Addison Close, Gillingham admitted to assault and provocation of violence at Weymouth Magistrates Court on Monday.

The court heard on August 10, while at Loders Petrol Station in Dorchester, Cooper got into a confrontation with farmer, Alan Garrett.

Elizabeth Valera, prosecuting said the two men were known to each other had been involved in a previous confrontation.

Ms Valera said on August 10, Cooper threatened Mr Garrett. He then leaned in close to his face and used his forehead to 'headbutt' the victim.

Cooper then walked to the till area of the petrol station and began to make abusive remarks about Mr Garrett and called him a 'spastic'.

CCTV footage of the incident was shown to the court.

"[Spastic] is a derogatory term," Ms Valera said. "It is a disability hate crime to use that term in this circumstance."

In a statement read in court, Mr Garrett said Cooper told him: "You're the guy with the tractor - I haven't forgotten about you. I'm going to do you. Come outside. I'm going to burn your barn down."

Mr Garrett added rural crimes were increasing and people like Cooper were causing farmers to work in fear.

"I want the court to make working on the land safe," he said.

Simon Lacey, mitigating, said Cooper was a member of the travelling community.

The court heard on a prior occasion, Cooper had been looking for scrap metal on a piece of land and Mr Garrett had called him derogatory names and chased him with a stick.

Mr Lacey said on the day of the petrol station altercation, "something was said to Mr Cooper and the word 'gypsy' was used he got angry."

Mr Lacey added Mr Garrett did not have a disability and Cooper had "said something he shouldn't have - it was something said in anger."

He said Cooper, who is a full time carer for his elderly father, had not intended to make contact with Mr Garrett and had not headbutted him but in fact made 'light contact'.

Cooper was handed a 12 month community order and ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.

He was also banned from entering Mr Garrett's land at Hayden Farm in Charminster or contacting Mr Garrett or his son for two years.

Cooper was also excluded from Loder's Petrol Station for one year and ordered to pay £170 in penalties and costs.