Olympian assaulted Mercedes driver after blocking him with bike in road rage attack, court hears

An Olympian and former Special Boat Service (SBS) marine assaulted a Mercedes driver in a road rage attack after he blocked him while riding his bike, a court heard.

Bernie Shrosbree, 60, admitted to police he "lost his head" when Howard Harvey sounded his horn as he cycled with a friend side-by-side on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset.

Shrosbree, who teamed up with Pippa Middleton to race across the Swiss Alps in 2016, exchanged verbal insults with Mr Harvey before ripping off his wing mirror and throwing his keys into a nearby garden.

The ex-Royal Marine Commando was also said to have attempted to punch Mr Harvey as he sat behind the wheel. Shrosbree admitted charges of using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour and causing criminal damage at Poole Magistrates Court.

The court heard Mr Harvey was driving his 2017 black Mercedes C-class near the exclusive Sandbanks resort when he encountered Shrosbree and a friend who were cycling side by side across the road on September 29 last year.

When Mr Harvey pulled up alongside him the pair swapped insults before Shrosbree attempted to rip the driver's door off its hinges.

The 60-year-old, whose clients have included Olympic rowers Sir Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell, TV adventurer Ben Fogle and F1 driver Jenson Button, was arrested hours later.

He told police he had been "absolutely livid" and had "lost his head".

David Finney, prosecuting, said at first a female motorist sounded her horn at the pair.

Mr Finney said that Shrosbree waved her on and there was a verbal exchange between them. Mr Harvey, who is in his 50s and comes from north London, was travelling in his car behind the woman.

Mr Finney said: "He too sounded his horn and pulled up alongside the cyclists.

"Swear words were exchanged and there was contact between the vehicle and the bike."

It was at this point the defendant ripped off the mirror and then kicked the side of the car. He also allegedly attacked the driver as he sat behind the wheel.

Mr Finney added: "(Shrosbree) threw blows towards the victim. The victim did not throw blows back.

"The defendant reached inside, took the keys and threw them into a nearby overgrown front garden. They could not be found.

"He attempted to pull the car door off its hinges and also damaged seats and upholstery."

Shrosbree cycled off with his friend after the incident. He returned to the scene later and was arrested.

At Poole Magistrates Court, Shrosbree, from Lilliput, Poole, was spared prison but was ordered to pay £3,700 to Mr Harvey to cover the damage to his car and carry out 100 hours community service.

Magistrates were told Shrosbree, who runs his own company Bernie Shrosbree Performance Training Ltd, was in the Royal Marines for more than 16 years, ten of which were spent in the SBS.

He represented Great Britain in both summer and winter Olympics in the triathlon and cross-country skiing respectively.

He has also won TV's Survival of the Fittest three times and wrote the fitness book 'Inspired; The Blueprint for Total Conditioning' with James Cracknell

In 2012 he re-enacted the World War Two Telemark raid by taking part in a 500-mile cross-country skiing expedition through Norway.

Four years later, he teamed up with Pippa Middleton to take part in a gruelling 33 mile ski race in the Swiss Alps.