A man has been handed a fine and forced to do 100 hours of community service after assaulting a man and damaging a van belonging to Northumbrian Water.

Neville Wright, 55, of Durham Street, Langley Park, appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on Friday (July 1), charged with causing a person actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

The charges relate to an incident in County Durham on March 1, 2022, where Wright was accused of assaulting Shaun Maddison and damaging a Northumbrian Water branded Ford Transit van.

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Court documents shared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, said: “On March 1, 2022, at County Durham, assaulted Shaun Maddison, thereby occasioning him, actual bodily harm Contrary to section 47 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861.   

“On March 1, 2022, at County Durham, without lawful excuse, damaged a Ford Transit Connect van, to the value of unknown, belonging to Northumbrian Water, intending to destroy or damage such property.”

In court on Friday, he pleaded guilty to both offences and is required to do 100 hours of unpaid work by June 30, 2023, for the damage charge and ordered to pay £100 compensation, £95 victim surcharge and £85 Crown Prosecution costs (£280 in total) for the assault.   

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