Man targeted homes of ex bosses

Anthony Gray returned home to Clowne to find the letter X had been painted on his house. He went to a neighbour, Terry Mead, and saw his home had been vandalised in a similar way, Chesterfield magistrates heard.

Becky Mahon, prosecuting, said Mr Mead’s vehicle was also damaged with paint stripper, as had a third neighbour’s car.

She added: “Mr Gray said it affected his family as they had been targeted by someone they didn’t know for reasons they could only guess at. His wife became nervous and jumpy.”

The court heard that victims Mr Mead and David Smith were both managers at TPA, a company based in Worksop where Patrick Kearns used to work.

Kearns, 53, was quizzed by police and denied causing the damage. He was released but later called police and confessed.

“He said he had been dismissed by the company earlier that year and he was aggrieved by that. He felt two of the managers had failed to properly investigate matters leading to his dismissal and he located their addresses and caused the damage. He said he only called police when he realised one of the complainants - Mr Gray - had no connection with the company,” added Ms Mahon.

Kearns, a father-of-three, of The Green, Mansfield Woodhouse, denied three charges of damaging property on 13th December last year but was convicted following a trial. He was given a 12 week jail sentence which was suspended for a year and a 16 week curfew. He was given a restraining order banning him from contacting his victims or going near their homes in Heritage Drive, Clowne, for a year and must pay £700 compensation.