Mansfield man hurled stones at neighbour’s home in row over loud music

Luke Parker was angry because the music was keeping his young children awake and he argued with his neighbour's son on April 15, last year, said Hal Ewing, prosecuting.

A "larger incident" developed in which the son and his girlfriend came outside armed with knives, he told Nottingham Crown Court.

Parker was "clearly angry" when he threw a stone through his neighbour's window before ripping off a fence panel and hurling it at their wall. Another panel was thrown and this time he broke a window, said Mr Ewing.

The court heard that no restraining order was requested and Parker later fixed what he had damaged. “He has done what he can to repair the damage and good relations with his neighbours have been restored,” said Mr Ewing.

He said Parker has 12 previous convictions and was serving a 24-month sentence, suspended for two years, for cannabis production at the time of the offence.

He appeared in court in September last year for another matter of criminal damage, committed at a property he lived in previously. He was fined and a community order was imposed.

Lauren Manuel, mitigating, said there had been no further offending since and Parker, a father-of-three, had written a letter of apology. She said he is mentoring one of his neighbour's sons and this has enabled him to build a good relationship with his neighbours and look at his own life.

"There was a significant gap in his offending," Ms Manuel said. "It took place over a year ago. He has taken all the steps he possibly can to put himself in a good position with the courts.

"You see before you a man who is the polar opposite of the man who appears on the CCTV footage. He has knocked his previous offending lifestyle on the head. He no longer abuses alcohol or drugs."

Parker, aged 29, of Ruskin Road, admitted criminal damage at a previous hearing. Judge Steven Coupland imposed a six-month community order with five rehabilitation days. Parker must pay a £100 fine within three months or serve seven days in custody.