Axe teen smashed up neighbour’s work van

£5.5k of damage to van after row over moped speeds

AN ANGRY teenager in a dispute with a neighbour shouted “Mum, where’s my axe?” before using the weapon to cause £5,500 worth of damage to a parked van.

Trouble flared when the neighbour, concerned for the safety of his children, objected to the way Charlie MerryJones rapidly rode his moped into the quiet residential cul-de-sac of Cambrian Close, in Cosby, a court heard.

Andrew Vout, prosecuting, said: “Several families with young children live in the close.”

He said the defendant’s next door neighbour was annoyed about the teenager’s habit of arriving home quickly and on Saturday, April 11, as MerrySmith revved the engine in the drive, he challenged him about it.

The prosecutor said: “The defendant shouted offensive language towards the neighbour, who walked over saying he was riding the motorbike ‘like an idiot.’

“The defendant offered to fight him and was aggressive and angry.

“There was pushing and shoving between them and the defendant fell onto his bike, which toppled over. The defendant then shouted to his mother ‘Mum, where’s my axe?’”

It was then that 19-year-old Merry-Jones fetched an axe and struck the neighbour’s van twice on the front bonnet area before walking away, only to return and strike the van twice more.

The neighbour ran indoors and returned with a baseball bat, to find the defendant throwing a petrol can at the van, causing the air to smell of fuel.

Mr Vout said: “The defendant announced he was ‘going to get some gypsies’ and got into his mother’s car and drove away.”

Merry-Jones, who only had a provisional licence, was uninsured to drive the car. When stopped by the police, he caused a disturbance.

The defendant was described as “animated and angry” with his fists clenched and swearing at the officers.

Mr Vout told Leicester Crown Court: “A Taser had to be used in order to restrain him as he was thrashing around as he tried to pull away and attempted to assault the two officers dealing with him.”

In interview, a somewhat contrite MerryJones said he had endured “on-going issues” with his neighbour since he was 14 and felt “bullied” by the man.

He told officers that since the pandemic he had been staying with his girlfriend and on April 11 he went to his family home to collect some clothes when the neighbour came over.

He said he went inside and “grabbed the nearest thing” which happened to be an axe and admitted smashing the neighbour’s van up, in retaliation for moped over.

Merry-Jones, of Jubilee Road, Broughton Astley, admitted criminal damage totalling £5,585, driving a car otherwise in accordance with a licence, having no insurance and resisting two constables in the execution of their duty.

In a personal impact statement, the neighbour said he was scared for the safety of his and other children on the street, claiming the defendant’s moped riding caused “imminent danger”. He said the attack on his work van was frightening and the incident left him feeling “on edge”. damage to his which toppled

The victim said: “I’m concerned he could arrive at my address and cause further issues.”

The judge imposed a restraining order banning Merry-Smith from contacting his next door neighbour’s family or going to his parents’ home in Cambrian Close for two years.

The judge said two years was “sufficient time to allow the dust to settle”.

James Varley, mitigating, said: “He normally lives at his parents’ house and has been living elsewhere for nearly five months. He’s secured a job since lockdown and seems to have adopted the right path.”

Sentencing,

Recorder

Nicholas Syfret QC said: “I take the view you simply lost your rag on that day, as to why I don’t know.

“You’re going to have to control your temper in adult life because if you fail to do so it will land you in further trouble.

“I take into account you have no previous convictions and you were cooperative when interviewed and it seems you regret what you did.”

Merry-Smith was placed on a oneyear community order, with 120 hours of unpaid work, banned from driving for six months and told to pay £125 costs and a £95 victim surcharge.