Car vandalised by campaigner after feud with group chairman
A neighbourhood campaigner vandalised a community centre chairman's car following a feud over the running of the venue – but was too drunk to remember anything of the attack, a court heard.
Darryl Magher was caught on CCTV staggering on to John Rowan's driveway and using a key to scratch around the victim's Vauxhall Frontera, causing more than £1,258 worth of damage.
Magher, aged 49, of Brooklands on the Yew Tree Estate in Walsall, had fallen out with Mr Rowan during a nine-month spell as a committee member on the Yew Tree and Tame Bridge Community Centre Association, a group Mr Rowan is chairman of.
Magher, who is chairman of Yew Tree and Tame Bridge.Com Neighbourhood Forum, had denied he was the offender captured on CCTV in the early hours of November 21 last year.
But following a trial at Sandwell Magistrates' Court, Mr David Edwards, chairman of the bench, found Magher guilty of criminal damage and ordered him to be electronically tagged and put on a night-time curfew for four months.
He also gave Magher a restraining order, which prevents him from visiting Mr Rowan's home in Brackendale Drive, 200 yards from where he lives.
But representing himself, Magher told the court he was '100 per cent sure' it was not him caught on the CCTV causing the damage. He argued other people on the estate shared his same physique.
Speaking after the hearing, Maghersaid he was considering an appeal.
Magher is on curfew from 10pm to 6am.
He was also ordered to pay £600 court costs, £60 victim surcharge and £1,258 compensation for the vehicle damage.
