Sunderland aunt damaged niece's car after family strife

An aunt was caught on CCTV damaging her niece’s car in a Sunderland street, a court was told.
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Leanne Wild, 45, of Lofthill, Moorside, struck when her relative refused to come outside to talk on Wednesday, July 28.

Wild shouted, “I’ll wait here, I’ll call the police myself” – and then damaged the windscreen and windscreen wipers of the black Vauxhall Corsa.

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Her actions left the younger woman £30 out of pocket in repair costs, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

South Tyneside Magistrates CourtSouth Tyneside Magistrates Court
South Tyneside Magistrates Court

Prosecutor Becky Slade presented the case to the court.

She said: “The injured party was at home with her partner working at 5pm.

“She states that she heard her aunt outside, shouting for her to come out.

“She opened the window and told her that she wasn’t coming down and asked her to move away.

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“Ms Wild replied, ‘I’ll wait here, I’ll call the police myself’. There is CCTV and it showed her punch the car and pull something.

“There was also a loud bang and there has been damage.

“A short time later the victim was told the defendant had caused damage to the windscreen.

“There is an application for a restraining order.”

In a victim statement read to the court, the niece said she felt intimidated by her aunt.

She claimed there had been two other occasions when the older woman had acted in similar fashion.

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Wild pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage of under £5,000.

The court heard she has 21 previous criminal convictions, including two for criminal damage in 2017.

Angus Westgarth, defending, said Wild had struggled with mental health issues.

He added: “She went to her niece’s house as a cry for help but that was not answered.

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“She is estranged from many members of her family. It’s distressing to her.

“There have been no further incidents. She made full and frank admissions when interviewed by the police.”

Magistrates handed Wild a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered her to pay her niece £30 compensation.

But they rejected the prosecution application for a restraining order.

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Wild must also pay a £34 victim surcharge. There were no court costs.

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