Paint-attack man ordered tostay away from mayor's home

A 62-year-old man has been banned from approaching a mayor after he daubed her house and car with green paint because he found her “ignorant”.

Vandal David Palmer has been ordered by a court not to go within 100 yards of the Mayor of Kirklees, Coun Julie Stewart-Turner’s home in Huddersfield.

Palmer, of Taylor Hill, Huddersfield, was also told to pay 2,000 compensation to Coun Stewart-Turner after he splattered her house and car with green paint, Huddersfield Magistrates’ Court heard.

Bill Astin, prosecuting, said Palmer had targeted the mayor because he followed the same political party, the Greens.

Palmer said he had tried to speak to her about political matters but he became angry about her “ignorant behaviour” towards him.

In a previous hearing the court heard how Palmer smeared the paint on the garage doors and splashed it all over the bonnet, grille and bumper of the mayor’s Volkswagen car.

There was a puddle of green paint near the front door and trickles up the driveway of the house. Palmer was caught on CCTV camera and the mayor recognised him as living nearby.

The former woodwork machinist pleaded guilty to criminal damage.

Coun Stewart-Turner sent the court a claim for a total of 3,550 plus VAT for the damage to the garage, driveway and car, and also for a suit and carpet in her house.

Speaking on behalf of Palmer, Charles Ainley said: “Being polite about it – the claim is really pushing the limit.

“I accept entirely that if someone has suffered financial or physical damage they are absolutely entitled to be compensated for that. I accept some of the compensation today but I think the complainant is pushing the envelope somewhat.”

The Chairman of the Bench, Alexis Walker, ordered Palmer to pay 2,000 in compensation for damage to the car, garage and driveway.

She gave Palmer a 12-month community order banning him from going within 100 yards of the mayor’s house.

The paint attack was the second on the mayor’s home. Earlier vandals had poured paint stripper on her car and on a Maserati sports car, owned by her husband. No-one has been caught for that offence.