Couple Painting Fence Fined £80 For Criminal Damage

[Raistlin]

A couple who painted their side of a garden fence have been fined £80 for 'criminal damage'.

They were fined after a neighbour complained to the police that it was actually her fence, and flecks of green paint had splashed onto her side - which was brown.

Officers visited Kay Balsdon, 47, and her 29-year-old partner Chris Bates - and they were threatened with prosecution if they refused to accept the on-the-spot fine.

The neighbour complained that the paint job - in a shade called 'Forest Green' - had ruined the finish on her side of the 6ft fence.

War paint:

The home of Kay Balsdon and her partner Chris Bates, where a bit of DIY fence painting has led to a criminal damage charge by police

A few days later PC Steve McCoy visited the couple's £220,000 new-build home in Aldershot, Hants.

Although Mrs Baldson owns the house, it was her partner who was fined because he was the one who had painted the fence.

Mrs Balsdon said: 'When the police turned up at my door I thought it was a prank. I just couldn't believe it - I was expecting Jeremy Beadle to pop out at any moment.'

The petrol station cashier added: 'The fence was getting a bit dry and starting to warp so we thought we'd paint it green to match the rest of the fences in our garden.

'We were very careful and used a brush rather than a sprayer, but a little bit had got through the fence.

'The woman next door got very upset and started banging on the door and creating a scene.

'She called the police who said they were going to issue a fine, and warned us that if we didn't pay we would end up going to court and end up paying a lot of money.

So we just paid,' she told the Sunday Telegraph.

Mr Bates a postman, said: 'I'm amazed that there was such a waste of police time over something so petty.

'When the police arrived I was speechless for 20 minutes. And when it had finally sunk in I felt angry that I was being punished for something so stupid.'

He added: 'We were shocked that someone would complain to the police about something so minor.

The person who made the complaint never spoke to use and we were unaware of any damage.'

Hampshire Police said it had decided to refund the fine.

A spokesman said: 'The officers gave this a lot of consideration and decided that this was the best way to deal with it. However, we have now reviewed the case and the fine will be rescinded and refunded.'

[Parts-King]

Somebody nicked the fence, where is it???

[Raistlin]

Somebody nicked the fence, where is it???

It's hidden round the back in case someone tries to scrape the paint off it...

[Bizarra]

Somebody nicked the fence, where is it???

It was taken away for use as evidence against them It will be returned when the legal time limit has expired & removal,storage & relocation costs will be levied on the Defendants

I'm joking.............................but only just :(

I would have thought, seriously, that if anything, this was a civil matter, & the Police should have regarded it as such. The "damage" was accidental, not malicious, & they should not have gotten involved.

[Parts-King]

Fence painters and motoring matters are dead easy to deal with...................nuff said ;)

[jw67]

Sad b :censor: ds.Haven't the police got ever so slightly more important things to do than a bit of paint on next door neighbours fence??.Perhaps they shoul fine the complainers for wasting police time and taxpayers money :ffs:

[Raistlin]

Sad b ds.Haven't the police got ever so slightly more important things to do than a bit of paint on next door neighbours fence??.Perhaps they shoul fine the complainers for wasting police time and taxpayers money

Maybe she had the painters in...

[jw67]

Sad b ds.Haven't the police got ever so slightly more important things to do than a bit of paint on next door neighbours fence??.Perhaps they shoul fine the complainers for wasting police time and taxpayers money

Maybe she had the painters in...

Nice

[jw67]

Somebody nicked the fence, where is it???

Perhaps they've take a fence at the fine

[Raistlin]

Somebody nicked the fence, where is it???

Perhaps they've take a fence (offence)at the fine

I am so glad you explained your quip Kingo is a tad slow...