Heartbroken son got 'spannered' before smashing bakery door

A bereaved man who was still grieving for his deceased mum told a court how he had got 'spannered' before he ended up smashing a door at a bakery.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Thursday, November 24, how Stefan Knighton, 41, formerly of Loscoe Road, Heanor, had been out boozing when he smashed the door at Eyre and Elliston’s, on Chatsworth Road, Chesterfield.

Prosecuting solicitor Ruth Snodin said: “A member of the public contacted police to report an incident of criminal damage.

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“Police attended and the witness approached and said she had seen a man kicking in a door further down the road.”

Ms Snodin added that Knighton was tracked down by a police officer and he was handcuffed while the officer established what had happened.

The defendant told police had he had been drinking alcohol including eight cans of Stella Artois and a bottle of vodka and he was willing to pay for any damage caused.

Knighton, of Mercaston Close, Holme Hall, Chesterfield, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage after the incident on November 8.

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He told the court: “It was the fifth anniversary of my mum’s death to cancer.

“I made a wrong choice of going out and got spannered instead of just sitting there and being mature about it.

“I will pay for the window.

“I lost my job two weeks ago after working at a warehouse. The day after I was arrested I had an interview but I did not get released by the police after I was arrested in time so I missed the interview.”

Knighton also told the court that a previous criminal damage conviction from 2011 had been linked to the day he had first found out that his mum had been diagnosed with cancer.

Magistrates fined Knighton £80 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.