Derbyshire woman’s windows smashed in neighbourhood feud, court hears

Katie Mayfield and Martin Burgess smashed their victim’s car and dining room windows in a “rage” as part of the ongoing dispute in a “mad moment”.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court heard how on May 23 the complainant was in the living room of her home on Main Road, Marsh Lane, when she heard “loud crashing sounds”.

As she walked into her dining room, hearing her car alarm going off, the homeowner saw glass “everywhere” and realised the window had been smashed.

Prosecutor Teresa Simms described how the front windscreen, drivers’ side window and rear windscreen of the victim’s £28,000 Nissan car had also been destroyed.

The court heard that prior to the incident, during an “exchange” of words with the victim, Mayfield had said: “How much is your house worth? Hope you’ve got insurance, ashes to ashes.”

Mayfield and Burgess, who both appeared without legal representation, gave their own mitigation in court.

Mayfield, 34, who admitted breaking the car windows, said she had flown “into a rage” after the victim had taken a photograph of her son.

Burgess, 36, pleaded guilty to damaging the house window. He told magistrates: “It was a mad moment.

"I was trying to calm her down – one of the neighbours chased her kid with a pair of shears but nothing happened to him.

"The neighbours are always doing things to the Mayfield family. Yes, I did smash the windows but I just didn’t think.”

Mayfield, of Main Road, Marsh Lane, had two previous convictions for affray and wounding while Burgess, of Cordwell Avenue, Newbold, also had two previous convictions, the court heard.

Both defendants were fined £80, ordered to pay £300 compensation to the victim and handed a £32 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.