Man fined after boozy damage

The offence took place on the evening of Saturday 31st March after Simon Dykes had been to a party, Chesterfield magistrates heard.

Ismail Sa’adulla was at home in Holmefield Road, Whitwell, when a neighbour informed him about the damage to his Vauxhall Astra parked outside.

He saw the driver’s door window was broken and approached Dykes who had blood on his hand.

“The defendant admitted smashing it and said he would pay for it,” Lynn Manning, prosecuting, told magistrates.

Police gave the 21-year-old Dykes an opportunity to avoid prosecution by paying compensation.

He accepted but never paid.

“He said he had been at a party and he was tipsy.”

“There was an argument and he became angry and lashed out at the nearest object,” added Ms Manning.

Dykes, of Queens Close in Hodthorpe, pleaded guilty to damaging property and was fined £90, with £175 compensation and £85 costs - totalling £350 for a wreckless act of drunken behaviour.

Dykes told the court: “I offered to pay but the officer in charge didn’t come when he was meant to and, with me being no good with money, I just spent it.”

“I should have tried harder.”

He continued: “I asked if I could go round to the person who owned the car and pay but they said no.”