Telford man hit biker's helmet with hammer in row over engine noise
A frustrated man smashed a hammer against the helmet of a motorcyclist who had been revving his engine too loudly on a Telford estate, a court heard.
Guy Ronald Healey, 51, of Leonards Close, Donnington, charged outside carrying the hammer, after he saw the motorcyclist swearing at an elderly woman who had come outside using a frame to ask him to be quiet.
Healey pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon when he appeared at Telford Magistrates Court yesterday.
Mrs Katie Price, prosecuting, said Healey had told the motorcyclist: "We don't like you round here and we're going to get rid of you."
The court was told that several people in the Donnington estate had complained about the noise caused by the motorbike engine.
Among them was an elderly woman, who came out using a walking frame to remonstrate with the motorcyclist, only to receive a barrage of abuse from him, said Mrs Price.
She added that Healey had swung the hammer twice at the motorcyclist's helmet which was not being worn but was perched on top of his head.
"It was a scare tactic and he used it for protection," said Mrs Price.
Healey was given an 18-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge and £100 compensation for damage to the helmet but no prosecution costs.
The court was told that Healey was currently unemployed and was a man of previous good character.
For Healey, Mrs Lisa Morris-Jones said her client had made full and frank admissions.
She said that the victim had received no injuries as a result of the attack and that the defendant accepted that he had "lashed out" at the motorcyclist.
For the probation services, Mr Chris Hughes said that Healey got on well with all of the neighbours on the estate.
