text: The number plate that got Jeremy Clarkson and his former Top Gear colleagues harangued out of Argentina was a direct reference to the Falklands War, a judge has ruled. While the BBC claimed the plate, which read H982 FKL, was an 'unhappy coincidence', Maria Cristina Barrionuevo said they were deliberately 'provoking people' when they drove it through the country last year. In a report released earlier this week she slammed their actions as 'arrogant and disrespectful'. Scroll down for video . A judge has ruled the controversial number plate that led to Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear colleagues being thrown out of Argentina was a deliberate reference to the 1982 Falklands War . Clarkson and his colleagues fled the South American country last year when their convoy - which was led by a Porsche bearing the controversial number plate - came under attack. A village of Falklands War veterans targeted the team as they drove through Patagonia, with Clarkson claiming in one account that they stormed their hotel. They were accused of deliberately inciting conflict with the plate, an alleged reference to the 1982 Falklands War. Afterwards producers removed the plate and replaced it with another. Investigating whether this was illegal, Mrs Barrionuevo said: 'It should be understood that it is not up to me to investigate or evaluate the decision - arrogant and disrepectful to say the least - by the Top Gear production team to enter the country with one or more Malvinas-referenced number plates. 'Nor is it my job to gauge the reaction - anticipated - of citizens to such an offence. Clarkson (pictured this week) said an angry mob targeted the Top Gear team in their hotel. His producer, Andy Wilman (right), who announced his resignation on Wednesday, denied deliberately using the plate . 'My responsibility is to analyse whether a crime has been committed under Argentinian law in relation to the removal from the Porsche of the original number plate H982 FKL and its replacement by another.' Concluding Top Gear chiefs had not acted in 'bad faith' in changing the plates and their hand was forced by 'massive government and popular pressure', she added: 'It led them to remove the original number plate and replace it with another which in principle wouldn't have negative connotations with the aim of ending the main focus of conflict and avoiding violent reactions by locals which indeed ended up taking place. 'The change was not done in a surreptitious way, but with the knowledge and approval of the presenters who participated in meetings with the programme producers.' Local prosecutors have already been informed of the decision and are understood to be preparing an appeal. Judges in the nearby city of Rio Grande - where Clarkson’s Porsche is thought to be in storage - are now expected to be asked to order Clarkson and his pals to be called in for a court grilling by overturning Mrs Barrionuevo's decision. The group's convoy was attacked as they drove through Patagonia. They abandoned the cars in Argentina to flee the country . Clarkson, 55, and co-hosts Richard Hammond and James May fled Argentina with a police escort after being told to leave the country as angry Falklands War veterans threatened to kill him. They cut short filming for a Christmas special and took flew to the capital Buenos Aires before returning to Britain. Nearly 30 other members of the film crew were stoned as they headed for Chile by road and had to abandon Clarkson’s Porsche and the cars his co-hosts had driven on a 1,400-mike trip through southern Argentina. The number plate that sparked calls for a full criminal probe - HI VAE - was found on the battered Porsche which was attacked by a furious mob after it was left at the side of the road. A local councillor in Ushuaia later claimed the digits 269 on the number plate of the Ford Mustang Richard Hammond had driven were close to the 255 Britons killed during the war - and the numbers 646 on James May’s Lotus could be taken as a reference to the 649 Argentinian casualties. The furore sparked a diplomatic incident with Argentina’s ambassador Alicia Castro calling the H982 plate 'malicious mockery' of those who fought in the 1982 Falklands War. Andy Wilman, who this week announced he was resigning from the show, insisted it was 'completely untrue' the Clarkson car had been chosen for its number plate or that an alternative plate was substituted for the original one. Clarkson told the Argentinian ambassador she could 'go fooey' ahead of the screening of the Top Gear special last December. The presenters were filming a Christmas special in the South American country last year when the controversy erupted . He is now rumoured to be working on a new car show format with Wilman which they are expected to take to a rival British TV channel, Netflix or Amazon. They were spotted in London on Thursday with Richard Hammond and James May, entering Clarkson’s home before leaving together for a drink at a local pub. Hammond, 45, has joined May in confirming he will not return to Top Gear following Clarkson's sacking, insisting yesterday/on Friday he had no plan to 'quit my mates.' Olsin Tymon had his lip split by Clarkson in the March 4 assault and took himself to hospital with his injuries. The incident led to the BBC deciding not to renew Clarkson’s contract after the current Top Gear series finishes. Police investigated the attack but Tymon told them he did not want to press charges and officers announced earlier this month they would ‘not be pursuing the matter any further.’
target: The plate - H982 FKL - was on Clarkson's Porsche during Christmas special .
  Local veterans considered it a reference to the bloody 1982 Falklands War .
  Angry villagers attacked Top Gear convoy and the team fled the country .
  Judge ruled the number plate was deliberate reference despite BBC denial .