Man smashed ex-wife's patio paving slabs

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Wednesday, June 1, how Adrian Gascoyne, 36, of Trinity Close, Chesterfield, used a hammer to smash one of the slabs and as he threw it at a wheelbarrow it bounced back and smashed a further two slabs.

Prosecuting solicitor Jennifer Fitzgerald said: “This was an incident at night between former partners who had been married with children and had separated.

“On the day in question the defendant was looking after the children at his ex Natalie Weatherall’s address enabling her to go out.

“She noticed he had been crying and he told her he had been depressed.”

The court heard how Gascoyne texted his ex while she was out asking who she was with and that he was going to rip up her paving slabs.

Mrs Fitzgerald added: “The defendant’s ex was dropped off by her new partner and Gascoyne challenged him and insulted her and he said he was going to destroy something she loved.

“He picked up a hammer and hit the paving slabs - that he had laid - and damaged three slabs by his actions.”

Gascoyne admitted to police that he had caused the damage out of anger.

He pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage after the incident on May 2.

Defence solicitor Gavin Hague said: “The patio slabs were laid for his wife and he was going round to see the children and after their split the relationship was still good.

“But he had felt aggrieved because his partner said she would be home by about 8pm and she arrived the following morning about 1.20am and he lost his temper.

“He put the hammer through one slab and threw it and it hit a wheelbarrow and bounced back onto the other slabs which were cracked.”

Magistrates fined Gascoyne £80 and ordered him to pay a £30 victim surcharge, £85 costs and £60 compensation.