Maserati acid attack ‘aimed at Kirklees mayor Julie-Stewart Turner’

Oct 31 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

VANDALS wrecked a luxury sports car in a suspected targeted attack aimed at the Mayor of Kirklees.

A bucket of acid was thrown on the Maserati car parked outside Clr Julie Stewart-Turner’s house in Taylor Hill.

The seven-year-old car, worth £15,000, belongs to Mrs Stewart-Turner’s husband, Darrel Turner.

His other car, an 11-year-old VW Passat, which was parked around the other side of the couple’s house on Stoney Cross Road, was also damaged.

No other vehicles on the street were touched.

Mr Turner, 56, said: “I thought somebody might steal it to order, but why would anyone want to destroy something so wonderful?

“It must be a personal attack, something to do with the council, or the Government expenses scandal.

“I think it’s political – I don’t think it’s against me personally because I can’t think of anyone who would do that.

“Maybe they have seen me in the car and seen Julie being picked up in the mayor’s car and thought that we are wealthy and have done it out of jealousy.”

Mrs Stewart-Turner, a Green Party member who became mayor in May, said: “It seems strange that they have picked our cars and no-one else’s.”

Mr Turner, 56, has only owned the second-hand Maserati for a matter of weeks.

The 3200 GTA model has a 3.2 litre engine, 370bhp and a top speed of 175mph. When new, Maseratis cost in the region of £90,000 depending on the model.