Worksop: Teen damaged car after drinking rum and gin

Blake Johnstone, 18, of Barn Close, pleaded guilty at a previous hearing at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on 13th March to causing criminal damage.

The court heard that Johnstone was in the street with his partner at around 10.30pm on 25th February 2015 after drinking gin and rum all evening.

The owner of the Peugeot 208 said she was in her home when she heard shouting. She looked outside and saw two people arguing and some ‘pushing’ had taken place.

Prosecuting, Rosie Wilde, said: “She looked at the car and said it remained undamaged.”

“Then she went to bed and could hear shouting and banging. She could see they were back outside her property and could hear items being thrown as if they were being thrown.”

“Her husband looked out the window and saw the drivers’ side window smashed.”

Johnstone was then arrested and he said he could not remember causing the damage but that it ‘sounded like something he would do’.

In mitigation, Mark Stocks said: “He entered a guilty plea at an early stage.”

“He said that he had been drinking rum and gin all evening and then had an argument with his partner.”

“He accepted that he kicked the door but could not remember damaging the mirror.”

Johnstone committed the crime whilst subject to a community order which he received in September 2014 for a similar criminal damage offence in which he was also drunk.

The magistrates said: “Clearly this is not the first time that your anger has got the better of you.”

“We have reduced your sentence because of your early guilty plea.”

The magistrates withdrew a warrant after he arrived late for court. Johnstone said that his lift had not turned up and that he ended up using public transport to get to the hearing.

Johnstone’s community order was extended for a further 12-months, with a 30-day activity requirement. He was also ordered to complete 40 hours unpaid work to run concurrent with his remaining 71 hours and must pay £250 compensation.