A foul-mouthed painter and decorator from Powys has been ordered to pay compensation after throwing a paint brush at a parking warden. Craig Ashton, 42, launched a furious tirade and repeatedly swore at traffic warden Mandy Williams before hurling the brush at her, causing damage to her trousers.
Incident Details
The incident occurred in Llanidloes, Powys, where Ashton was working. Ms Williams had issued a £60 parking ticket to his van while patrolling the area. Upon seeing the ticket, Ashton became aggressive, ripping it off the vehicle and throwing it at her. He then threw a paint brush at her, claiming it slipped.
Prosecutor Helen Tench told Welshpool magistrates court that Ashton's verbal abuse was captured on the warden's body camera. He was heard using the F-word repeatedly and telling her to 'shove that up your f***ing a**hole'.
Court Proceedings
Ashton was initially offered a conditional caution but failed to comply, leading to his prosecution. He admitted common assault and was ordered to pay £189 compensation to Ms Williams. Laurence Monk, chair of the magistrates bench, advised Ashton to 'keep a lid on his frustrations in future'.
In his defence, Ashton said: 'I am totally aware of the parking laws, but it's been such a common practice to have a warning off the others. I cannot defend throwing the brush at her, I know it's wrong. My problem was, that week, there was a different traffic warden the day before and the day after. One tapped me the day before and said I had 18 minutes left. The day after this another man went into five different shops and cafes, looking for car owners. I know it's not their job, but when we live in a small community, it's what we expect. I felt a little bit of a victim myself. She was hiding behind my van, she knew I was working there. I felt a little bit hard done by.'
Impact on Victim
In a victim impact statement read in court, Ms Williams said: 'I've found I now can't comfortably go to Llanidloes for work, I feel like I can't look over my shoulder. I can't do the job I love properly and am contemplating looking for other jobs.' The paint brush struck her leg, but she did not suffer any physical injuries.
The case highlights the tensions that can arise between parking enforcement officers and members of the public, particularly in small communities where informal warnings are sometimes expected.
