Petrol bomb trial: Fake Facebook account 'had embarrassing photo'
A fake Facebook account in the name of a hate campaign victim was created at the home of its alleged mastermind, a jury heard.
Businessman Robert McNaughton is accused of being behind a petrol bomb attack outside the Hopwood Close, Halesowen, home of his former lover Sharon McCann.
Her parked car and that of her 22-year-old daughter had earlier had windows broken and tyres slashed. Bricks and paint had also been thrown at the house, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
But the 51-year-old defendant told the jury that a Romanian called Marcus was probably to blame since he had fallen out with Miss McCann and had been given McNaughton's wi-fi code during a visit to his home.
He said: "I believe they set it up, but cannot be sure. I certainly was not responsible." The profile photo on the bogus account was said to be an embarrassing picture of Miss McCann.
The defendant was already a suspect when arrested outside a Quinton pub on February 2, 2015 – the day after the petrol bomb attack which occurred while Miss McCann was at home with her mother.
Police checked film footage from the pub's CCTV and spotted one of the men who has admitted being involved in the conspiracy to cause criminal damage arrive at the same pub minutes after McNaughton's arrest. Mr Peter Arnold, prosecuting, said: "The two of them were meeting up to discuss what had happened the previous evening."
Matthew Barker, aged 42, and 19-year-old Joden Smith, who both live in Leicestershire, have admitted conspiracy to commit criminal damage, the jury was told.
McNaughton, of Tenter Drive, Halesowen, denies conspiracy to commit criminal damage. The trial continues.
