Man climbed scaffolding to hurl planks at cars below

A MAN who climbed scaffolding and hurled down planks of wood caused thousands of pounds’ worth of damage to cars below.

A police negotiator had to be called to the scene in south Belfast before Dennis Gregg McClean (36) agreed to come down.

Prosecutors said one of the vehicles was left a write-off by the incident on June 10 this year.

McClean, of Oakley Street in the city, pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage at Belfast Magistrates Court.

Police went to the Upper Crescent area amid reports that McClean was on the second level of scaffolding, throwing planks of wood at vehicles on the street.

Crown lawyer Breige Gilmore said: “They asked the defendant to stop and come down, but he continued to throw more planks, causing significant damage to parked cars”.

McClean refused to come down for around two hours, instead climbing higher.

Following an intervention of a specially trained PSNI negotiator he descended and was arrested.

Damage caused to one car was estimated at £1,000, while the cost of repairing the other two was put at several hundred pounds each.

The court heard McClean has 189 previous convictions.

Putting back sentencing for four weeks, District Judge Peter King said: “This case is so bizarre and so different to your client’s previous offending, I’m concerned that his stability has taken a turn for the worse. Someone who climbs scaffolding and requires a police negotiator may need some assistance ... to prevent that happening again.”