Reveller damaged police van

A SCARBOROUGH late night reveller’s birthday celebrations turned sour after he vandalised a police van, a court heard.

Christian Murray, 37, snapped a windscreen wiper off the North Yorkshire force’s vehicle in Huntriss Row in February.

Scarborough Magistrates’ Court heard Murray was enjoying an evening in Vivaz nightclub when the incident took place.

Prosecuting, Katy Varlow told the court: “It was around 5am and Murray was in the club.

“It would appear that he has been in drink and snapped the wiper off the vehicle.

“It was quite a straightforward case and was captured on CCTV.

“When he was interviewed by police, he said he was very sorry for what he had done and accepted that it was wrong.”

Mitigating, Nick Tubbs said Murray, who gave an address of Boston Spa, Wetherby, regretted the incident.

He said: “He got word that police wanted to speak to him and he came across the vehicle.

“His behaviour was out of order and stupid in the circumstances.

“It happened around the time of his birthday and had been in Scarborough to celebrate it.

“He had one too many and regrets it.”

Magistrates fined Murray £165 and also ordered him to pay £85 costs.

He was also made to pay £50 compensation for the fitting of the new windscreen wiper, which was valued at £29.40.