A man kicked and punched his partner's car when she failed to park it where he told her to, a court heard.

Guy Alexander, 33, appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates' Court yesterday to be sentenced for criminal damage, driving without insurance and failing to surrender in to custody.

Alexander, of Churchill Road, Braintree, had admitted the charges at earlier court hearings.

Lorraine Webb, prosecuting, said on May 8 last year, Alexander was in the car with his partner while she looking for a parking space in the Sainsbury's car park in Blyths Meadow, Braintree.

Miss Webb said Alexander became exasperated by his partner not using the parking spaces he pointed out to her and twice pulled on the handbrake, causing the car to swerve, before getting out and hitting and kicking the vehicle, causing £700 damage.

In March last year, he had also failed to produce documents to prove he was driving his partner's car legally, and in July failed to answer police bail, the court heard.

Philip Witherspoon, mitigating, said the parking incident was the "final straw" for Alexander, after a stressful period in which several family members had been seriously ill.

Magistrates sentenced Alexander to a 180-hour community punishment order for criminal damage and failing to surrender.

He received a £200 fine and six penalty points for driving without insurance, and was ordered to pay £110 costs.

Published Tuesday, January 18, 2005

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