A MAN damaged a door with a wrench because he was angry with a noisy neighbour.

Anthony Griffin struck the door of the flat of a man who lived above him with a two- feet long wrench, leaving a four-inch hole in the surface.

Griffin, aged 53, of Randwick Drive, Warndon, Worcester, admitted criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon when he appeared before city magistrates. The court was told the incident took place at about5.30pm on May 13 after Griffin became upset about noise from a neighbour who lived in the flat above his.

Matt Dodson, prosecuting, said: “He caused damage to the front door of his neighbour’s property using a two- feet long socket wrench.

“The neighbour did not open the door but called the police.”

Chris Hilton, defending, said: “Mr Griffin attended the address of his neighbour, irritated in relation to the level of noise coming from his neighbour’s flat above. It’s been a long-standing problem, so much so that Mr Griffin has asked Worcester Community Housing to transfer him to a different address.

“He made various complaints to them and to police but to no avail.”

Mr Hilton said Griffin took the wrench to protect himself and to warn the other man off taking any physical action against him.

The person in the flat above had claimed the noise was “inadvertent” as opposed to “deliberate or inconsiderate”, Mr Hilton said.

He said of Griffin: “He appreciates he caused damage and it was wrong of him.”

No information was supplied to the court by police about the extent of the damage, although it was estimated to be under £5,000.

Magistrates fined him £75 for criminal damage, gave him a 12-month conditional discharge for possession of an offensive weapon and ordered him to pay £200 compensation and £85 costs. They also ordered the wrench to be destroyed.