A man who caused more than £8,500 of damage to a Preston family’s range of executive cars over a seven month period has been given a suspended jail term.
Alan Warton, 57, of Harewood Road, Deepdale, Preston, carried out the spate of vandalism between January 1 and August 11 this year, Preston Magistrates’ Court heard.
He admitted causing £1,326 damage to a Range Rover, £774 damage to a Mercedes, £1,130 damage to a BMW coupe, and £1,519 damage to a BMW XS on Duchy Avenue, Fulwood.
The first four vehicles belonged to prominent Preston businessman Maksud Patel, who is a director at the Preston Muslim Society at the Maasjid-e-Salaam mosque on Watling Street Road, and has been involved with the Gafoor poultry factory in Deepdale.
Warton also admitted causing £1,759 damage to a BMW 720 owned by a member of the same family, Sajida Patel.
He also left their other relative, Mobin Patel, with a £2,010 repair bill for his BMW X6.
Warton, who suffers severe anxiety, pleaded guilty to six counts of criminal damage.
The bench imposed a 12 week sentence suspended for 12 months. He must also do 100 hours unpaid work.
The court also ordered him to pay a total of £600 compensation - £100 for each of the vehicles - and a £150 court charge, but said they had taken his plea into account.
No order for costs was made due to his limited income.