A 33-YEAR-OLD man has been ordered to pay over £400 compensation after he ripped off a windscreen wiper and smashed it through a car, Fermanagh Magistrates Court has heard.

Paul Philip McCaffery, of Carnview Park, Kinawley, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage to an Audi A4 on February 28, 2015.

The court heard that, at 9.15am, police received a report of an ongoing incident at an address on Hollybank road, outside Derrylin.

The injured party complained that his car had been damaged. He alleged that a female had jumped up on the bonnet of the car, before trying to break off the windscreen wiper.

The man further claimed that McCaffery had then broken off the wiper and “smashed it” through the car.

During a subsequent police interview, the defendant denied making any contact with the wiper and told officers that they would not find any glass on him.

Defending solicitor, Barry Lynam, told the court that his client had admitted the offence after police had received the forensics report.

Describing the case as “not as black and white as made out”, the solicitor said that the sister of McCaffery’s partner had previously been in a relationship with the injured party, which had ended “acrimoniously”.

Mr Lynam said that the injured party had turned up in his car with his new partner and two other males. He added that, in the ensuing incident, a baseball bat was produced.

The solicitor conceded that his client had been a “sinner”, but insisted he was also “sinned against”.

He revealed that charges had been proffered against other people in connection with this incident.

In mitigation, Mr Lynam said that the defendant had entered a guilty plea and had restitution of £430 with him to pay for the damage to the car.

Acknowledging that McCaffery had a previous criminal record, the solicitor added that it was of some vintage. District judge, Nigel Broderick, took into account that the defendant had brought money to court and also that his last offence had been in 2002.

The judge imposed a £430 compensation order and a two-year conditional discharge, but warned McCaffery not to treat it as a “lenient sentence”.