A MAN used a baseball bat to cause £3,000 of damage to the Mercedes car belonging to his sister’s partner after he got the wrong end of the stick.

Blackburn magistrates heard Robert Trickett had been drinking heavily and thought his sibling had been locked out by her boyfriend.

But he couldn’t explain why he then damaged his sister’s car by knocking the wing mirror off.

Trickett, 22, of Daisybanks, Bacup, pleaded guilty to damaging an Audi belonging to his sister and the Mercedes belonging to her partner. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement and a curfew for six weeks between 8 pm and 6 am. He was ordered to pay £200 compensation to each of the victims and £85 costs.

Sazeeda Ismail, prosecuting, said Miss Trickett had returned home after being at her cousins. Her partner was at home but the front door was locked so she went to the family home which was nearby.

“She was tired and simply wanted to go to sleep but her brother kept asking what was wrong,” said Miss Ismail.

“She rang her partner and he said he had left the back door open for her so she went home.”

Minutes later she heard a loud bang and looked out to see her brother attacking her partner's car.

“She was going to call the police but her partner said to leave it until the morning and they would speak to her brother about paying for the damage,” said Miss Ismail.

“The next morning she went out and noticed the wing mirror had been knocked off her car and at this point she called the police. CCTV footage showed him using a baseball bat to cause the damage.”