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Manchester Evening News
By Richard Wheatstone
Anthony Bennett, 39, cut down around 140 advertising boards in two separate hour-long campaigns, nearly two years after losing a rental deposit over a damaged carpet.
A revenge-seeking tenant waged war against estate agents by chopping down more than 100 ‘for sale’ and ‘to let’ signs.
Anthony Bennett, 39, cut down around 140 advertising boards in two separate hour-long campaigns, nearly two years after losing a rental deposit over a damaged carpet.
Bennett, of Angel Meadow, Heywood, hacked down the signs of seven estate agents in the Rochdale area before loading them into his van and dumping them at a landfill site. He finally flew into a rage over his long-held grudge after fearing he would lose his three-bedroom council flat because of the Government’s new ‘bedroom tax’.
Bennett, who is unemployed, had to move into the flat as he was unable to rent privately when he lost the £1,100 bond for a house in Rochdale with an estate agent in 2011.
Prosecuting, Shazia Aslam said: “After changes to his benefits under the new bedroom tax he became agitated, blaming the whole episode on the estate agent who kept his bond.”
Bennett admitted seven counts of theft on the nights of April 22 and 24 this year. The incidents were said to have cost the businesses around £3,000.
His red van had been identified at the scene of thefts in the Falinge Road and Whitworth Road areas before he handed himself in on May 1 and admitted stealing signs at five more locations.
Bury Magistrates Court heard the defendant had been prescribed anti-depressants following the recent deaths of both his parents and had suffered erratic behaviour after doctors upped his dosage.
Bennett told the court: “I wasn’t thinking straight at all, mainly due to the medication. There was no common sense there at all and I am just totally embarrassed and sorry about the whole saga.”
The worst-hit victims were Keystone Estate Agents who lost 50 signs with a total value of £1,100. Bennett was ordered to pay £500 in compensation to five companies. He was also given a three-month community order and a six-week curfew.
Sentencing, Chair of the bench Stephen Griffiths said: “You have cost these estate agents a considerable amount of loss. They may not be the most popular of people but they have lost money so you must pay compensation.”