A MAN has admitted harassing a customer while working as a delivery driver, wishing her “a slow painful death from cancer”.

Christopher Plant, of Maes Hyfryd, New Rhosrobin, had been working as an Asda delivery driver for just a few weeks when he got into a spat with a customer in a rural mid-Wales village after arriving a few minutes late.

He was sentenced to an 18 month community order when he pleaded guilty at Welshpool Magistrates Court.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said Plant, age 53, was “huffing and puffing” when he arrived at the customer’s property in Llangynog, Powys on February 14, and became frustrated as he waited while she put her dogs away.

According to Ms Tench he said he didn’t “have time for this” in an aggressive manner towards the customer, she found his manner aggressive, and he went into a tirade about how she should be “more appreciative of delivery drivers”.

The customer eventually asked Plant to leave but he stood in her way and verbally abused her, calling her a “fat *****”, adding that he wouldn’t leave without the empty shopping crates.

She said she would send them back herself, to which he replied “I know where you live”, and before he left, said “I hope you die a slow painful death from cancer”.

Ms Tench told the court that in an impact statement, the victim said she was still traumatised and felt sick whenever she saw an Asda van, but said that she “was probably horrid back to him”.

Bethan Jones, defending, said Plant had since resigned from Asda and was stressed at the time of the incident because he was running late.

She said: “He puts forward his apologies to the victim. It was an unsavoury incident.

“His resignation shows a degree of remorse. He suffers with anxiety issues and he responded to what she said to him. It doesn’t excuse his behaviour but it perhaps explains it.”

Julian Davies, from the probation service added that at the time Plant was only in his second week of the job and was struggling to find rural addresses.

He had gone over his allotted hours and and was feeling “really stressed”.

Mr Davies said: “He accepts behaving in a threatening manner but denies saying all that it is said, was said.”

Chair of the magistrates bench Stephen Pembroke sentenced Plant to an 18 month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work.

He will also pay £85 costs and an £85 victim surcharge.