Exmouth drug user attacked 11 cars - five police vehicles
Exeter Crown Court. - Credit: Archant
A drug user from Brixington has admitted threatening two friends with a hammer before using it to go on a wrecking spree in Exmouth.
Robert Dance asked one man to help him take part in a robbery and demanded money off another while holding the weapon, Exeter Crown Court was told.
With the hammer, he went on to hit 11 cars, including five police vehicles, within yards of the town’s police station.
Dance, 31, of Broadpark Road, Exmouth, admitted affray and seven counts of criminal damage. His case was adjourned for a probation pre-sentence report and an assessment for drug rehabilitation.
Judge Graham Cottle granted Dance conditional bail, but told him: “You must read nothing into that.
You may also want to watch:
“Your behaviour that night generally was extremely serious and it may well be the outcome of this case is a custodial sentence.”
Mr Nigel Wraith, prosecuting, said the offences all took place in a short space of time in the area surrounding Exmouth Police Station on the night of May 12 last year.
Most Read
- 1 Couple walking from Exmouth to Swanage in memory of Pippa
- 2 Milestone planning decision marks reason for optimism in the Otter Valley
- 3 'Let’s get out of the stranglehold this killer virus has had on our lives' by staying home
- 4 Words of respect and dignity honoured Adrian
- 5 Transition Exmouth’s ‘library of things’ project get National Lottery funding boost
- 6 Changes made to Exmouth bus route following national lockdown
- 7 Introducing the Journal's newest columnst - Scott Gray
- 8 Open Door is here for the community during lockdown 3.0
- 9 Exmouth goes underground – designer creates town tube map
- 10 CLOSING - Exmouth's HSBC branch to shut later this year
The court heard Dance approached one man while holding a hammer and asked him if he wanted to take part in a robbery.
When the man said no, Dance went up the road, clattering the hammer against railings, and approached a second victim.
Mr Wraith said: “He said ‘give me all your money’. He said he had no money, but offered some cigarettes. Dance asked for money again and the other man kicked him and ran away. Dance went on to commit the offences of criminal damage.”
Dance used the hammer to cause damage totalling at least £2,500 to five police cars, and also a Mazda, a Daewoo Matiz, a VW Polo, a Fiat Punto, a Vauxhall Corsa, and a Citroen Saxo, which were parked nearby.
Miss Kelly Scrivener, defending, said Dance had asked if the man could spare some money rather than demanding it. He was now working with the addiction service, Rise, and might be eligible for a rehabilitation programme.
