A MAN who kicked a £40,000 Mercedes belonging to former Evesham mayor Mark Robinson was ordered to pay £1,500 by Worcester magistrates.

The magistrates heard how Nicholas Langstone had kicked the 320 CLK convertible sports car after drinking with friends at a Worcestershire pub.

Mr Robinson had parked his car outside Fladbury's Anchor Inn before meeting friends on Friday, June 21.

He drove the Y-registration vehicle home at 11.30pm but did not notice the damage, as it was dark.

A neighbour spotted the damage - a dent in the wing that cost £3,500 to repair - the next day and told Mr Robinson. "I was totally devastated," he told Mark Soper, prosecuting.

"My neighbour said it looked as though I had rolled it over. I couldn't believe the amount of damage that had been done."

Mr Soper then read statements from Duncan Foley and Ian Reakes, who said they had seen Langstone damaging the car.

Mr Foley and Mr Reakes had been playing a late night football game on the car park of the pub after watching England's World Cup match against Brazil.

Reading Mr Foley's statement, Mr Soper said Langstone kicked the front wing of the car and walked off but later boasted that he had gone back to kick its back end in.

Langstone, aged 30, of Lazy Lane, Fladbury, denied criminal damage during last Thursday's trial.

Barry Newton, defending, claimed his client had been the victim of a conspiracy and accused the witnesses of lying.

"I cannot cross examine the witnesses as they are not here," said Mr Newton, "This court should be loath to convict anyone by the written word.

"My client has no dispute with the witnesses, apart from the fact they're not telling the truth."

Magistrates found Langstone guilty of causing damage to one of the car's wings and its aerial.

He was ordered to pay £840 compensation, fined £430 and told to pay £263 costs.