This appeared in The Nottingham Post recently
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NEW motorhome owner Michael Hayes caused £39,000 damage to 14 caravans in a revenge attack on a dealership.
The jobless 54-year-old claimed faults were not fixed after he spent a £51,000 inheritance on a posh home on wheels.
He returned to the Newark-based Brownhills and took out his frustration with a knife, a black marker pen, paint and spray.
Nottingham Crown Court heard he damaged 14 motorhomes – slashing seats, daubing them with graffiti and painting beds black.
He was caught by a sales assistant in July. Black paint had stained his fingers and he had a can of spray paint in one hand and a knife in a bag.
Yesterday, Hayes was jailed for a year after admitting criminal damage.
As well as the damage, the company says it lost £52,000 in revenue while the vehicles were off for repair.
Sentencing Hayes, of no fixed address, Recorder Shaun Smith said it was not for him to decide who was right or wrong.
"I accept you felt so strongly about the fact that you were right and the company was wrong but the way of going about it is completely unacceptable," he said.
Hayes claimed after buying his motorhome that there were ten faults and only one had been fixed, the court heard.
"He felt let down by Brownhills, where he bought a motorhome in January 2013," said prosecutor Lisa Hardy.
Clarkson Baptiste, in mitigation, said Hayes had let his anger get the better of him and had chosen not to take the matter to the civil court.
The money Hayes spent on his motorhome was inherited from his father, who died two years ago, and was the largest investment his client made with the cash.
Hayes asked for sympathetic understanding for the motivation behind what he did.
"He has suffered loss to himself," said Mr Baptiste.
"He is suffering from depression and sleep deprivation.
"He is living off £7,000 in his back account from the residue of the estate. He is unemployed.
"He part-exchanged the vehicle for £36,000. He lost £15,000 as a result of having to purchase another home."
Brownhills declined to comment on the case when contacted by the Post.
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NEW motorhome owner Michael Hayes caused £39,000 damage to 14 caravans in a revenge attack on a dealership.
The jobless 54-year-old claimed faults were not fixed after he spent a £51,000 inheritance on a posh home on wheels.
He returned to the Newark-based Brownhills and took out his frustration with a knife, a black marker pen, paint and spray.
Nottingham Crown Court heard he damaged 14 motorhomes – slashing seats, daubing them with graffiti and painting beds black.
He was caught by a sales assistant in July. Black paint had stained his fingers and he had a can of spray paint in one hand and a knife in a bag.
Yesterday, Hayes was jailed for a year after admitting criminal damage.
As well as the damage, the company says it lost £52,000 in revenue while the vehicles were off for repair.
Sentencing Hayes, of no fixed address, Recorder Shaun Smith said it was not for him to decide who was right or wrong.
"I accept you felt so strongly about the fact that you were right and the company was wrong but the way of going about it is completely unacceptable," he said.
Hayes claimed after buying his motorhome that there were ten faults and only one had been fixed, the court heard.
"He felt let down by Brownhills, where he bought a motorhome in January 2013," said prosecutor Lisa Hardy.
Clarkson Baptiste, in mitigation, said Hayes had let his anger get the better of him and had chosen not to take the matter to the civil court.
The money Hayes spent on his motorhome was inherited from his father, who died two years ago, and was the largest investment his client made with the cash.
Hayes asked for sympathetic understanding for the motivation behind what he did.
"He has suffered loss to himself," said Mr Baptiste.
"He is suffering from depression and sleep deprivation.
"He is living off £7,000 in his back account from the residue of the estate. He is unemployed.
"He part-exchanged the vehicle for £36,000. He lost £15,000 as a result of having to purchase another home."
Brownhills declined to comment on the case when contacted by the Post.
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