PREVIEW

BY JULIA ROBERTS
A ​labourer ​was caught on camera smashing up his boss's ​car and Grade II-listed ​house with a ​traffic cone and hammer ​in revenge for money being deducted from his wages.
Lucasz Dabrowski ​was said to have "lost the plot" when, in two angry outbursts over two days in May this year, he caused more than £14,000 in damage and left owner Abrar Mohammed footing the bill.
​Canterbury Crown Court heard t​he 27-year-old had not only been helping to renovate the address in Fort Crescent, Margate, but was also allowed by Mr Mohammed to stay on the premises.
However, because the property lacked essential utilities, including heating and hot water, the Polish national took umbrage when money to cover rent was deducted from his pay.
Council CCTV caught him wrecking not only the building but also Mr Mohammed's Hyundai i800 parked in the street outside.
Dabrowski, formerly of Norfolk Road, Cliftonville, later pleaded guilty to two offences of criminal damage and one of burglary, as well as assaulting a police constable.
At his sentencing hearing on August 14, prosecutor Meera Yagnik explained that police were called to the house at about 10.30pm on May 1 after receiving a report that sash windows were being broken from within the period property and then items thrown out.
When officers arrived, they found him on top of external scaffolding, and "some sort of negotiation" was needed to bring him down, Ms Yagnik told the court.
The damage on that occasion was estimated at about £5,000, Dabrowski was arrested and ​Mr Mohammed had the locks ​changed.
But, having been released on bail, he returned to the house on May 4, this time turning his attention to Mr Mohammed's car as well.
"Police were again called to the property following reports of a male outside causing a disturbance, breaking windows to the property and the windows of the complainant's vehicle," said Ms Yagnik.
"This was captured on CCTV. The defendant is seen wielding a claw hammer in his right hand and using it to smash the front bay windows.
"He then picks up a traffic cone from the front garden, enters the property through the front door and, a few seconds later, the traffic cone can be seen flying out through the bay window.
"The defendant then leaves the property via the front door, picks up a piece of wood, re-enters, exits and picks up the traffic cone again.
"He is then seen walking with it in his hand to the vehicle parked at the front. He then walks around smashing every window with the traffic cone."
On this occasion, the damage caused by the wrecking spree brought Mr Mohammed's total loss to a little more than £14,138.
In a victim impact statement read to the court, he described that besides the financial cost, he was left "extremely worried" the labourer might "shift his anger" and cause him personal harm.
Mr Mohammed also highlighted a recent change in Dabrowski's demeanour, attributing it to substance misuse, and described their working relationship as now "ruined"​.
​But he ​magnanimously expressed a wish for ​him to "get the help needed".
​The court heard that despite D​abrowski having previous convictions for criminal damage, racially aggravated assault and harassment, he had spent his first nine years in the UK leading a law-abiding life.
Matters began to "unravel", however, when he became "embroiled in substance misuse", said his lawyer, Natasha Spreadborough.
Explaining that he now hopes to be deported, she added: "He wishes to put this period in his life behind him and move back to Poland for a fresh start.​"
The court heard that the offence of assaulting a police constable related to him spitting on an officer following his arrest on May 1.
Jailing Dabrowski for a total of 17 months, Recorder Duncan Atkinson KC told him: "It is clear from what you told the probation officer who prepared your pre-sentence report that you had, to use Ms Spreadborough's words, lost the plot.
"You had become angry with Mr Mohammed because you considered he had exploited you while you were carrying out work on his property for him.
"He was allowing you to stay in the property, albeit it had no heating, hot water or other amenities, and was, unbeknown to you, charging you rent by taking money out of your wages.
"It was that sense of grievance towards him that led you to behave in an utterly disgraceful way on a number of occasions."
Dabrowski, who said "Thank you very much" as he was led from the dock to the court cells, will serve up to half his jail term before being released on licence subject to 12 months' post sentence supervision.
As to Mr Mohammed's financial loss, Recorder Atkinson made no compensation award after stating he was "puzzled" as to why it had not been covered by insurance.
He did, however, hand Dabrowski a two-year restraining order banning him from any direct or indirect contact with Mr Mohammed.