Aspull: Man damaged wall he had built after dispute with customer

A man smashed up a wall he built after an argument over money owed for its construction.

Phil Nicholson got into a dispute with Nicholas Heaton about payments due for work at his property in Aspull.

Bolton Crown Court heard at the end of 2021 the men entered an agreement for £40,000 of work to be done extending a wall at Mr Heaton's home.

But in February this year Nicholson had built some of the wall and was owed £5,000 and went with others to demand it from Mr Heaton.

Prosecutor Darren Finnegan said: "He said 'give me £4,000 or I will start to destroy the wall.'

"Mr Heaton says 'I am not going to pay you no money now.'

"The defendant says 'right boys start.'

"The defendant and his staff pulled apart part of the wall using sledge hammers.

"A video of this was uploaded to TikTok, not necessarily by the defendant, captured no payments we will take it away."

Mr Heaton said in a victim impact statement: "This is just ridiculous what Phil has done.

"If I had tried to go outside they might have tried to assault me.

"I felt worried and scared and less secure in my own home."

Nicholson, 43, appeared in court to be sentenced after admitting criminal damage.

He pleaded guilty on the basis the damage was not more than £3,000 and was sentenced on that basis.

Mr Finnegan made an application for Nicholson to pay compensation to Mr Heaton.

But Joanne Daniels, defending, argued that he should not have to pay this.

She said: "Compensation of £3,622 has been paid by the insurance company.

"He has been on Universal Credit."

Judge Abigail Hudson described the circumstances of the case as "slightly unusual".

She imposed a conditional discharge to run for a year.

She also ordered Nicholson, of Mill Lane, Newton-le-Willows, to pay compensation of £200 and costs of £125.

She said: "The compensation is for the distress caused and is not due to the value of the wall."

Man damaged wall he had built after dispute with customer over money