A jealous boyfriend who tried to throw a bin at the flat of a man he believed had had an affair with his partner ended up smashing the window of a fruit and veg shop.
Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard yesterday (5 January) how James Spry, 30, had been on a night out with his partner when she told him she had had an affair and the defendant tried to track down the other man.
Local newspaper Matlock Mercury reports that prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “Spry had been drinking with his partner in Chesterfield, and during their encounter she said she was seeing someone who lived above the fruit and veg shop in Bolsover.
“The defendant had drunk alcohol and went to Bolsover to see if he could find this gentleman. An officer was driving through Bolsover and saw the defendant with a rubbish bin that he was holding above his head.”
Spry abused the police and ran off, according to Allsop, and they found a bin lid had been ripped off and a window at Fruit and Veg, on Town End, had been smashed, and the shop also had a damaged sign and lighting.
The Mercury reports how the court heard that the shop owner was upset by what had happened during a very busy time of the year, and the damage had had a knock-on effect to his business.
Spry told police he was trying to throw items at the upper-storey window but could not reach it and he hit the shop window instead.
Spry, of Roecar Close, Old Whittington, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage involving the shop and rubbish bins belonging to The Co-op after the incident on December 5, 2015.
Defence solicitor Finbarr Hennessey said: “It’s a ridiculous set of circumstances. Mr Spry is ashamed but he is still together with his partner. At the time he thought this man was in the flat.”
Magistrates adjourned the case until January 20 before sentencing.
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