Two men, who helped cause thousands of pounds in damage when they trashed a Holmfirth flat in a revenge attack, have been given a suspended sentence.

Leeds Crown Court heard a 15-year-old girl had been traced to the flat in Huddersfield Road after she was reported missing.

She and the occupier had gone with the police while inquiries were made but that man faced no charges as a result of his actions, thinking he had been doing a favour letting her stay there.

However, while those initial inquiries were ongoing Darren Rhodes from Holmfirth and Craig Edwards from Ravensthorpe – having heard about the situation – went into the flat which was rented from Kirklees Council

Michael Smith, prosecuting, told the court on Thursday they and others caused “significant damage.”

“Radiators were pulled from the walls, plaster board damaged, furniture was opened and damaged, fittings from the bath and sink were pulled from the walls and personal property was strewn about,” he said. “The lavatory was also damaged and pulled off the wall.”

A number of males and a female were seen to leave the property and get into a silver car which Edwards had been seen driving earlier that night with Rhodes as a back seat passenger.

When they were arrested and interviewed they denied at that time having anything to do with the damage. The occupant of the flat said he was shocked and scared and had not want to stay at the flat again after he discovered the damage.

The court heard Rhodes told a probation officer he was upset and enraged when he heard about the girl being at the flat and acted totally out of character.

Chloe Hudson representing him said he was normally a hard-working and law abiding young man but had reacted in a unique situation

She said photographs of the damage were shocking and he realised it was the taxpayers of Kirklees who would be paying for most of it.

Arshad Khan for Edwards said he had lost his job as a result of the case.

“He accepts what he did was stupid,” he said. “The prospect of custody has had a salutary effect on this young man.”

Rhodes, 19 of Moorlands, Scholes, Holmfirth and Edwards, 25 of Bradbury Street, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury admitted burglary with intent to cause damage on June 1.

Rhodes was given 12 months in a young offender institution suspended for two years and Edwards, 12 months in prison suspended for two years. Both were also ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work and must return to the court on July 22 for compensation to be considered after the cost of damage has been finally assessed.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told them it had effectively been a revenge attack.

“It is perfectly clear the damage you caused runs into thousands and thousands of pounds,” he said. “What makes this worse is what you were effectively doing was taking the law into your own hands. The courts will not tolerate people who do that. The occupier was not prosecuted and nobody thought it was right for him to be charged with anything.”

He said there was no excuse for their actions, but he accepted neither had ever been in trouble before and had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

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