A fall-out between two Whitstable business pals led to a “misguided” youngster threatening to take a very sinister revenge.

Stephen Bright – boss of JST Autos in St Augustine's Business Park – and his former business partner James Eastwood had fallen out.

He was angry that Mr Eastwood had set up a rival garage nearby – in defiance of an alleged agreement.

But in September last year, when motor mechanic student Charlie Chantler- who had fallen under Eastwood's influence - heard about the dispute he decided to take revenge.

The youngster, who had befriended the Eastwoods, caused £3,000 damage to four vehicles, including a Peugeot van, and a flatbed recovery truck at Mr Bright’s garage by drilling out the tyres.

Then he left a brown envelope containing a shotgun cartridge and a abusive letter claiming the alleged author’s grandfather had been charged for a fan belt replacement which had never been made.

Referring to the cartridge, it continued: “The next one is coming your way very soon. This is not a threat... it’s a promise.”

Mr Bright was so frightened he immediately installed security equipment at the garage and at his home.

But detectives investigating the death threat discovered the truck in which it had been left had a fault with the lock, allowing it to be opened by other keys.

“That fault was something only known to Mr Bright, his brother and Mr Eastwood, who had been part of that business", said Mr Harvey.

But police tracked down Chantler, of Albany Drive, Herne Bay through a fingerprint on the envelope, and a forensic examination of the handwriting revealed he had been the author.

Despite initially denying involvement on the day he was charged – and in defiance of an order banning him from making contact with Mr Bright - he went to JST Autos and admitted he was responsible and offered to pay compensation.

ow the 20-year-old – who had nothing to do with the original dispute – has gone to a young offender’s institution for 10 months after admitting making threats to kill and causing criminal damage.

But Canterbury Crown Court heard that no charges had been brought against Mr Eastwood.

Judge Adele Williams asked: “Was he ever arrested?”

Prosecutor Jim Harvey told the court: “It doesn’t appear so. The only comments regarding Mr Eastwood were made by this defendant. There is no other evidence.”

The court heard the two businessmen had fallen out and there had been a number of incidents, including unfavourable comments left by Chantler against Mr Bright on the Internet.

Phil Rowley, defending, said Chantler had signed up for a motor mechanics course at Canterbury College where he befriended the Eastwoods.

They invited him to stay in a shed at the business premises and offered some unpaid work.

“At that time he was a little lost in life. He was vulnerable to the influences of others. The Eastwoods were an older couple and he perhaps looked at Mr Eastwood as a father figure.

“Due to his immaturity he developed a wholly misguided loyalty to Mr Eastwood to do his bidding on his behalf.”

“Your action was full of revenge and threats not just against the victim but also his family causing them a great deal of distress, concern and fear" - Judge Adele Williams

Mr Rowley said Mr Eastwood had fallen out with Mr Bright and had signed an agreement not to open a rival company within a particular area “and nonetheless had done so”.

“He seems to have resented Mr Bright’s success and he directed the activity which led to Chantler being arrested.

"This was a dispute between Eastwood and Bright and yet this young man found himself involved because of his misguided sense of loyalty.

“He was clearly under the direction of Mr Eastwood because of what Mr Bright said about access to the truck.”

Judge Williams told Chantler: “Your action was full of revenge and threats not just against the victim but also his family causing them a great deal of distress, concern and fear.

“You were acting out of misguided loyalty but we must all take responsibility for our own actions.”