A motorist took out his frustrations over problems with his new car by smashing up another vehicle with a sledgehammer at the dealership where he bought it, a court heard.

David Smith caused £15,000 damage to a Subaru Impreza parked at the Colin Appleyard premises in Lockwood Road, Folly Hall, on June 28 and then calmly waited for the police to arrive, said Louise Pryke prosecuting.

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday that Smith had bought a similar Impreza at the premises on May 10 but reported having problems with it.

He had complained but was told nothing could be found wrong with it. However, on June 28 when he returned again he was told a fault might have been found.

Laura McBride, representing Smith, said he wanted his money back but was told by the garage that they needed to let their mechanics look at it for him instead.

The court heard Smith suffers from bi-polar disorder and because of the medication and dosage he was on at the time his levels of stress would fluctuate.

It was at that point he left the showroom and then returned with the sledgehammer and proceeded to damage the vehicle on the forecourt.

Miss McBride said Smith had expressed genuine remorse and indicated his willingness to pay for the damage with £5,000 immediately available and then monthly payments

She urged the judge to suspend any prison sentence.

“He owns two tattoo shops,” said Miss McBride. “It has been a successful business over the years and his concern is if he was sent to custody how long his business would be able to continue without him.”

The court heard Smith’s wife was regulating his medication and he was also paying to see a psychiatrist each week.

Smith, 50 of Morefield Bank, Holmfirth, admitted criminal damage and was given a six month prison sentence suspended for 12 months. He was ordered to pay £5,000 compensation immediately and the rest at £1,000 a month.

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC said he accepted he had done well in business while taking medication for his bi-polar disorder to keep under control the “spikes and lows” of his condition.

He said Smith had then waited for the police and made full admissions to what he had done. A probation officer had assessed him as genuinely remorseful and given that he was now seeing a psychiatrist and his medication was monitored to prevent any further trouble it was seen as an isolated incident.