A popular charity worker has been forced out of his home after a spate of attacks which led to him threatening masked teenagers with a brush shaft.
Footage of Philip Strange brandishing the stick while angrily threatening the teens was shared widely on social media in June and led to him facing several charges.
The 41-year-old admitted two counts of common assault at Laganside Magistrates Court in Belfast earlier this month in front of a sympathetic District Judge Francis Rafferty.
The court heard how Strange confronted two masked and hooded teenage girls outside his home after it had been egged for the second night in a row.
Footage of the incident was shown to the court which depicts an enraged Strange shouting: “Get the f— down the f—ing road or I’ll hammer the s—e out of ye, firing f—ing eggs there,” as he shoves one of the girls.
“Get the f—- out of my f—ing road,” he continues: “You’re f—ing throwing eggs at that house and ye did it the other night, I seen you on the camera.
“Get the f— down the road or I’ll break your f—ing back, you too standing there f—ing videoing… I’ll f—ing bury ye, you f—ing c— ye, get that camera off.”
Defence counsel said Strange’s house had been pelted with eggs the night before and police did not attend when called.
“He has picked up an old brush shaft and is trying to move them on,” they said.
“These are masked and hooded teenagers who he thought were men outside his house.
"The property is now for sale and he is moving because of repeated attacks including a vintage 1950s car being covered in flour and water.
“He is a well-known and well-liked man in the local town who is heavily involved with several charities.
“This was a mistake arising out of difficult circumstances. He is a man with no record who is unlikely to be back before a court.”
Judge Rafferty said he was curious as to why the youngsters had appeared outside the defendant’s property in disguise.
The judge considered calling the girls to give evidence but opted instead to warn the teenagers about their behaviour.
Turning to the defendant, he said: “When you come out it’s petrifying, it could have gone very badly wrong and it’s not necessarily your fault, I accept that.
“However, the bottom line is you deal with the situation in a vigilante manner when you should have called the police.”
The judge asked Strange if he would have behaved the same way had he known they were teenage girls.
“No, absolutely not,” he replied.
“Well, that’s my point exactly,” the judge continued: “Vigilante behaviour is dangerous, keep ringing the police and they will eventually turn up.
“Under no circumstances should you do this again. You pleaded guilty which was a smart move on your part.”
Strange was further charged with threats to kill, disorderly behaviour and possessing an offensive weapon.
Dismissing these counts, Judge Rafferty said Strange had lifted the brush shaft in passing and the threats to kill were ‘throwaway lines’.
Strange, of Mill Road, Ballyclare, Co Antrim, was fined £600 for the two assaults.
Judge Rafferty made no compensation orders to the victims “for reasons which are hopefully obvious”, he added.
by pppppppppppppppppd
2 comments
>When you come out it’s petrifying
But two disguised individuals vandalizing your house is just something you have to put up with apparently.
“keep ringing the police and they’ll eventually turn up” is an absolutely ridiculous thing to say. I wouldn’t put it past the psni to arrest you for being a nuisance if you did that.
Comments are closed.