Golf course vandal unveiled as former member
A vandal who poured weedkiller on a golf course, causing nearly £16,000 of damage, was a disgruntled former member, a court has heard.
Earlier this year a man wearing a balaclava poured weedkiller across the third green before being chased down by the owner of Woolley Park Golf Club in Yorkshire, and a greenkeeper, who had spotted him on the club’s CCTV, reports the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The man then collided with the vehicle the greenkeeper was driving, and was then caught on foot and his balaclava was ripped off and his face recorded on camera. He was later arrested and made full admissions.
Leeds Crown Court has now heard how the 55-year-old former miner had previously been a member of the club before this was terminated in 2020.
Charlotte Noddings, prosecuting, said he had clashed with the owners over his behaviour towards club staff and that no other members wished to play golf with him.
He pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage. He has no previous convictions.
However, he did dispute the repair costs presented by the golf club, which came to £15,837.
The judge, Recorder Dafydd Enoch QC, dismissed his claims.
Little mitigation was put to the court by his barrister, Joanne Shepherd, after Recorder Enoch described him as a “difficult member” who had simply “made a nuisance of himself and went too far”.
Recorder Enoch told him: “I do not know what possessed you to behave in that way.
“I’m sure there’s two sides to every story, there almost always is.
“But the fact is you took the law into your own hands and in a completely planned and premeditated way, you decided you were going to seriously damage these people’s green.
“You obtained the equipment and you disguised yourself. You caused great distress to the person who faced you.
“The result is that you did what you set out to do, which was to cause serious damage.”
Newton was given three-month jail term, suspended for 12 months, and was ordered to pay £10,000 compensation.
The club posted on Facebook: ‘A long awaited result for our members and family’.
The club did the right thing, by dismissing a member who abused employees !! Now, it’s up to the courts to do, the right thing !! We never know, how a disgruntled member is going to act, but we cannot keep them around !!