A MAN who deliberately scratched the side of a van causing more than £620 of damage in an ‘act of revenge’, had targeted the wrong person, Skipton magistrates were told.

Devlin Mawson, 28, of Meadowcroft, Cononley, admitted using a bunch of keys to damage Luke Dalby’s Ford transit van which was parked at Greenway, Glusburn, at 4.45pm on May 14 last year.

Mr Dalby witnessed the incident outside his house saying Mawson ‘appeared to be going wild’.

Mawson, who was not represented in court last Friday, said he was ‘targeting someone who was trying to destroy my life’ but had since found out he had targeted the wrong person and van.

Mawson said he realised now it was a case of mistaken identity and was apologetic towards Mr Dalby.

He said he had been struggling during lockdown and had started hearing voices. He was not working and was currently ‘on sick’.

He said he believed someone was saying ‘nasty things’ about him and wanted to get his own back.

Magistrates ordered Mawson pay compensation to Mr Dalby of £623.38 which was the price he had been quoted to have the vehicle repaired. There was no award for costs.