A foible about cars with no tax disc led a man to slash tyres.

Stephen Prentice, 44, of Dover Close, Braintree, was irritated when he saw cars without tax and let his weakness get out of control, slashing the tyres of 17 cars on separate occasions. He caused £1,781 damage.

Prentice admitted one charge of destroying property belonging to another person and asked for 16 other cases to be taken into consideration when he appeared before Chelmsford magistrates yesterday.

He was conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay compensation of £1,781 plus £55 court costs.

Kathy Matthews, prosecuting, told the court Prentice was in Oakley Avenue, Braintree on January 16 hanging around a Fiat Tempra.

A neighbour heard a noise and spotted Prentice sticking a knife into a tyre.

When arrested he admitted damaging tyres with a knife and said he slashed the tyres because they were not displaying a tax disc. He told police he had committed 16 other similar offences.

Paul Roach, mitigating, said Prentice was a family man of exemplary character.

Mr Roach said seeing cars without tax discs did irritate him, causing him to take the law into his own hands.

The offences started after Prentice saw someone who had their tyres slashed and when he asked if they would report it they said no because they had no tax.

Mr Roach said Prentice was apologetic and realised it was bizarre behaviour but it was "an annoyance that got out of hand."

"It's clear it wasn't a fetish but it was a foible which was allowed to spiral out of control."

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