A WOULD-be MP has been ordered to pay almost £1,000 after a court found him guilty of criminal damage on the campaign trail in Taunton.

Steve German scraped the paintwork of a BMW during a road rage incident as he was out canvassing in the lead up to last year's General Election He had only announced his decision days before to contest the Taunton Deane seat for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition at the time of the altercation.

German, 55, of Greenway Road, Taunton, who polled so few votes in the election that he lost his deposit, denied the charge but was found guilty at a trial last Thursday.

His victim, Paul Lanning, aged 53, of Bishop's Hull, said: "He's not someone who should be standing to represent someone when he behaves like that.

"I'm pleased at the outcome of the trial as it was my word against his and he denied the charge."

Mr Lanning says the confrontation started after German accused him of braking late as he walked across the pedestrian crossing between Morrisons store and the petrol station off Priory Bridge Road.

"He shouted at me and gestured at my eye and then scratched a key or something on the bonnet of my car and down the side," said Mr Lanning, who has since sold the BMW he was driving at the time.

"I jumped out of the car and confronted him on the forecourt of the garage, when he said he wasn't going to wait for the police.

"I followed him around for 40 minutes giving a running commentary on my phone to police of where we were until he was apprehended.

"He tried to shake me off around the station and Staplegrove Road.

"I subsequently found out he was standing for Parliament and had been out canvassing."

Magistrates slapped an £180 fine on German, who was also ordered to pay Mr Lanning £480 compensation and £310 costs, meaning he must pay a total of £970.

German polled just 118 votes in the election last May - only Independent candidate Bruce Gauld polled less with 96 votes, with the next lowest candidate Independent Mike Rigby attracting 2,568 votes in the eight-horse race.

The County Gazette made a number of unsuccessful attempts to contact German for a comment.

Clive Heemskerk, TUSC national election agent, said: "This is the first time I've heard of this incident.

"As with all cases, we will look into it and take the appropriate action."