A dad spent £1,000 travelling from the Philippines to Aberdeen – then scratched his daughter’s car in a two-year-old row over £50.
James Richardson – an 80-year-old pensioner – damaged the vehicle along with one belonging to his daughter’s partner, when there was no answer at their door.
They’d previously fallen out after Richardson sent £50 for his daughter to pass on to his great-granddaughter, which he claims never happened.
The elderly vandal, who had never been in court before, even called the police on himself and then spent the night locked up in a cell.
Now, Richardson – who married a 29-year-old Filipino to remain in the Philippines – doesn’t have the money to fly back home, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.
‘He contacted the police himself and ‘fessed up’
Fiscal depute Georgia Laird said Richardson was seen knocking on his daughter’s door on Christie Crescent, Aberdeen, around 10.15am last Thursday.
After getting no response, he left but returned a short time later.
Then another witness heard “scraping” sounds and saw Richardson damaging two vehicles in the driveway.
Ms Laird said: “The accused contacted the police directly on the emergency line and made various admissions, stating he’d damaged two cars”.
Interrupting her, Sheriff Nigel Cooke asked: “So, he contacted the police himself and ‘fessed up?”
Ms Laird replied: “Yes”.
Richardson, whose address was given as Argyll Place in Portlethen, where he is temporarily staying with a friend, pled guilty to causing malicious damage.
‘Family rift’ more than 20 years old
Defence agent Mike Monro said his client now lived in the Philippines having moved there four years ago.
Mr Monro explained that his visa expired during a Covid lockdown which meant he was unable to leave.
“He was advised this could be extended indefinitely were he to meet up with a Filipino lady and be involved in a relationship whereby he marry her.
“This he did by marrying a 29-year-old Filipino lady and therefore was allowed to stay. The steps he had taken did not find favour with his family.”
The solicitor explained that Richardson has a daughter, granddaughter and a great-granddaughter in Stonehaven.
They “became estranged” owing to a “family rift” that started more than 20 years ago, he said.
“For reasons only the accused knows, he, within the last month, elected to return to the north-east at his own cost of £1,000,” Mr Monro went on.
“He wished to speak to his daughter about, quite remarkably, £50.
“What had happened was that, during Covid, the accused sent his daughter £50 to be passed onto his great-granddaughter.
“It transpires, according to the accused, that money was never delivered.
“This has wrangled the accused ever since, so, at great expense, he’s flown back from the Philippines to Aberdeen in order to have this matter resolved.”
Banned from his daughter’s street
Mr Monro said Richardson is staying with a friend while visiting Scotland and, on Thursday last week, went to confront his daughter.
“She wasn’t in. He left. He then came back and got a sharp implement found on the driveway and scratched the vehicles belonging to his daughter and son-in-law.
“He then phoned the police, tells them who he is, where he is and that he had caused this damage.”
Mr Monro said his client intended to return to the Philippines but did not have enough money to do so due to an issue with his pension payments.
Sheriff Cooke deferred sentencing Richardson to allow time for the Crown to provide a value for the damage and for the offender’s financial situation to be confirmed.
Mr Monro asked for a bail condition to be imposed banning Richardson from entering Christie Crescent in case he was tempted to “take the law into his own hands again”.
The sheriff agreed and, on the condition being formally imposed, Richardson said: “I appreciate that, it’s just I have another friend on Christie Crescent”.
Sheriff Cooke replied: “You’ll have to phone him and meet him elsewhere”.
The pensioner responded: “Okay”.
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