A man caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to a car in an act of revenge against his partner’s ex-boyfriend, a court heard.

Darren Wheeler, 42, repeatedly scratched Julia Peen’s Land Rover while it was parked near Tesco in Whinfell Way, Gravesend, on the evening of January 18.

Miss Peen, 48, is the fiancée of Andrew Skinner, also 48, who is the former partner of Wheeler’s girlfriend Jackie Brown.

In what was the last ever court hearing at Dartford Magistrates’ Court, the bench heard of a continued animosity between Mr Skinner and Wheeler, who lives with his mother in Eglinton Road, Swanscombe.

In a statement read out in court, Miss Peen said: “I spent all of my savings on the car and do not have any money to repair the damage.

“I was really upset as we all regarded it as a special vehicle. I knew the car would not be made any more and I thought it would increase in value.

“It has now left me extremely anxious when leaving the vehicle and I am afraid that when it is repaired it will be damaged again.”

At last Thursday’s hearing, Wheeler said he did not know what came over him and that he was sorry for what happened.

He admitted criminal damage.

Magistrates ordered him to complete 150 hours of unpaid work, 20 days of rehabilitation activities, and take part in a programme to help him manage his behaviour.

However, he will not have to pay for the damage caused.

Speaking after the hearing, Mr Skinner, who lives with Miss Peen, said: “Our point of view is that justice has not been done.

“We have got £4,000 of damage to a car and he has got away scot free. I am going to put a complaint in to the Crown Prosecution Service.

“Jackie and I split up four years ago and we have had an untold amount of grief. The guy should be a bit more mature about it.”

Wheeler will pay £85 in court costs and a £50 victim surcharge.