A CARLISLE couple lied to police after being involved in an alleged road rage incident on the A66.

Robert Blore, 43, admitted dangerous driving when he appeared at the city’s crown court. That follows an incident on the Temple Sowerby bypass, east of Penrith, on May 26 last year.

During a previous court hearing, Blore and his 27-year-old partner Hannah Thomson - who have recently married - admitted doing an act tending and intended to pervert the course of justice. This relates to a statement Thomson gave police after the incident, falsely stating she - and not Blore - was driving.

Their solicitor, David Wales, said their respective guilty pleas were entered on a “limited basis”.

Both assert Blore was driving Miss Thomson in a Vauxhall Astra when it was involved in an incident with another motorist.

They say that motorist “had pursued a course of driving towards him (Blore) which was dangerous and which involved deliberately aiming his car at the vehicle this defendant was driving”.

That motorist and Blore pulled into a layby. As they left their respective vehicles, Blore alleges the other man “produced a knife”, causing him to “get back into his vehicle and depart at speed”.

Thomson then called police and falsely said the driver was Blore, who “maintained the falsehood” before “correcting it minutes later”.

However, prosecutor Tom Lord spoke of a “gargantuan gulf” between the versions of events. The prosecution, he said, disputed the other man’s alleged driving and knife possession.

A hearing will take place on September 23, when a judge will hear evidence before ruling on the basis on which Blore and Thomson, of Dale End Road, Carlisle, should be sentenced. They were granted bail.