A MAN took a sledge hammer to vehicles belonging to one Stanley family in an act of “retribution”, a court heard.

Phillip George Lister wielded the weapon in the attack on Monday which saw him cause extensive damage to two cars and a van before shouting threats at one of the owners.

The 39-year-old, of Medomsley Road, Consett, claimed he committed the spree after linking difficulties in his life with one of the victims who he had “bad blood” with.

Ann Barker, prosecuting, told Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday: “We understand there has been a dispute between the defendant’s family and family targeted in these attacks for many years.”

She said at about 10.35pm Lister drove his car to Stanley and reversed at least twice into a Vauxhall Corsa.

Magistrates heard he then got a sledge hammer out smashed the windows of the Corsa, shattered the glass and panels on a Hyundai Santa Fe and moved onto a Vauxhall van.

Ms Barker added one of victims, with whom he is said to have bad blood with, appeared.

“He said ‘you come here and I’ll give you the same as the cars’,” she added.

At the police station Lister, who was understood to be under the influence of alcohol, refused to carry out a breath test.

The court heard until recently the defendant worked for his father’s scrap metal business in the Consett area but it had been taken over.

Dave Malone, mitigating, said at the time of its operation his client claimed one of the victims of this week’s attack had worked for the business and had been the suspect of unproven allegations of theft from the firm.

Mr Malone said Lister had been drinking and “in his head” had linked the loss of his father’s business, his struggle to run a profitable waste management business himself and to pay his bills, with the victim.

“Pressures took over and the idea was to confront (the victim),” Mr Malone said, adding the weapon was in his van for business use. “He felt he had to take some retribution.”

Lister, who has 16 convictions for 20 offences, including two for possessing a weapon, pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage, failing to provide a specimen, using threatening words and possessing an offensive weapon.

The case was committed to Durham Crown Court for sentencing on March 2.

He he was remanded in custody and made subject to an interim driving ban.