Judge slams Middlesbrough disability car 'join in' vandals
TEESSIDE'S top judge told two friends who saw a group vandalising a family's mobility car and decided to "join in" that they should be ashamed of themselves.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the attack on Patrick and Susan Doyle's Renault Megane - which they have to ease the life of their young child who has Down's Syndrome - took place on May 31, 2009, outside the family's Homerton Road home in Middlesbrough.
The court was told that Michael Nellis, 27, and Daniel Hobbs, 25, saw others damaging the Megane and joined in the vandalism in which the vehicle sustained £5,500 worth of damage. Both men pleaded guilty to destroying property. Prosecutor Gale Gilchrist said the family had now moved home.
Brian Russell, defending Nellis, said: "He appears to have somewhat grown up, possibly due to the recent birth of his daughter." Nigel Soppitt, defending Hobbs, said his client was drunk at the time of the incident. "That is the only explanation," said Mr Soppitt. "But that's cold comfort to the victims of his vandalism." Mr Soppitt added that Hobbs had also recently become a father. "He is a young man who is at last maturing and is maturing well," said Mr Soppitt.
The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox QC, told the pair: "You are no longer young yobs - you are supposed to be young men. It doesn't reduce the seriousness at all that others were damaging it and you thought you would join in, in your drunken stupor, what you were doing is saying 'yes it's a good thing and I will add to it' - so you did. The upshot was this car was provided for a disabled child. You should feel ashamed of yourselves - it's a disgraceful thing to do and well over £5,000 of damage has been done. I am told the family has had to move away and I can understand their upset, as well as their anguish and their loss."
Judge Fox gave both men a six month jail sentence suspended for two years with supervision. Nellis, of Eston View, Middlesbrough, was also given a curfew order between 6pm and 6am. Hobbs, of Norcliffe Street, Middlesbrough, was given 200 hours unpaid work.