A drunken Fyvie man sabotaged a car after being “egged on by his friend” – causing the tyre to deflate and then crash into a wall.
Matthew O’Neill was caught on CCTV in broad daylight cutting the valve off the car’s rear passenger-side tyre in Turriff.
Its unsuspecting owner later drove more than 10 miles from Turriff to Auchterless unaware of the damage and that he was driving on a completely flat tyre.
It soon became apparent to the driver, however, when he lost control of the car and it crashed into a wall.
Fiscal depute Victoria Kerr told Banff Sheriff Court how O’Neill was spotted on the town’s Fife Street at around 1pm on June 1, 2019.
She said the car’s owner was later driving it when he “lost control of the vehicle” and damaged its bumper when he crashed into a wall.
“He thought he had suffered a puncture at first,” she said. “But later on he noted the valve appeared to have been cut off.
“CCTV was viewed and it showed two males approaching the parked vehicle. The accused was seen bending down near the read side and tampering with it with both hands. He had a pair of snippers or similar in his hands.”
After police recognised the 22-year-old from the footage he was traced and arrested.
Defence agent Leonard Burkinshaw said the self-employed tradesman had been “egged on” and now fully regrets his “stupid” decision.
“I am somewhat surprised the driver managed to drive the car from Turriff to Auchterless as I would imagine the tyre would be completely flat,” he said.
“It seems that he was egged on to do this, while drunk, by the other person who had a beef with the owner of the car.
“He stupidly joined in with that person in the enterprise. He was foolish and he regrets it.”
O’Neill admitted a charge of malicious damage by striking a car wing mirror and another of culpable and reckless conduct, while acting alongside a minor, by cutting off the tyre valve.
‘You are lucky’
Sheriff Robert MacDonald said he estimated the car owner would have been out of pocket by at least £100.
“I hope you realise just how stupid a thing that was to do,” he said.
“You may have thought someone would come out and just see a flat tyre but we have in fact heard how this gentleman drove a considerable distance before he had a crash because of this.
“You are lucky there was no more serious damage or a serious injury.”
He ordered O’Neill, of Willowbank, Fyvie, to pay his victim compensation of £150 and pay an additional £400 fine.
O’Neill said from the dock: “I’m sorry. I know it was stupid.”
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