Cars, vans, buses, shop fronts and houses were all randomly targeted during a spate of drive-by catapult shootings, a court heard.

Thousands of pounds worth of damage was caused to windows and windscreens over a 10 week period between August and November last year.

A number of objects - such as rocks, stones, ball-bearings and even a nut and bolt - were either thrown or catapulted from two cars as they drove through Dartford, Swanley, Greenhithe and surrounding areas.

Maidstone Crown Court heard there was was a total of 120 incidents of criminal damage. Those targeted included a moving bus with passengers on board and a mother with her two children in her car. One van was struck twice within minutes near Bluewater.

Dean Kenny, 24, of Pier Road, Greenhithe, 25-year-old Richard Gaudoin, of Hawthorn Road, Dartford, and Ryan Burnside, 24, of Lower Croft, Swanley, all deny conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

Prosecutor Peter Forbes said the police investigation was a "painstaking" one as there was often "no witnesses and no explanation".

"Reports were being received by the police from members of the public who had found their parked cars, shop fronts and windows of their homes had been randomly smashed," he said.

"But of more concern was damage on occasion being caused to moving vehicles. Drivers were struck by an object apparently coming from nowhere and the window either cracking or smashing as they drove along."

"Drivers were struck by an object apparently coming from nowhere and the window either cracking or smashing as they drove along..." - Peter Forbes, prosecuting

However, Mr Forbes told the jury the three men could be linked to the crime through CCTV footage, automatic number plate recognition cameras and - most significantly - through "extremely illuminating" mobile phone evidence.

"On many, many occasions the mobile phone of one or more of these defendants, but mostly Dean Kenny, was in use shortly before or after an incident of criminal damage has occurred and in the same vicinity," he explained.

Mr Forbes added it was "as if Kenny was identifying a vehicle to friends to hit and then saying he has found another one".

The court heard Kenny has admitted driving a silver VW Golf involved in 30 incidents on October 15.

But he told police although he knew others were firing catapults, he did not take part himself.

Kenny and Burnside were later picked out in identification procedures as two of the men involved.

The court heard the list of reports to police ran over 11 pages of court documents.

Locations where damage was caused included East Hill, Sussex Road, Darenth Road, Park Road, Hawthorn Road and Princes Road - all in Dartford; High Street, London Road and St James Lane in Greenhithe; Swanley Lane in Swanley, and roads in Horton Kirby, Eynsford, West Kingsdown and Crockenhill.

Mr Forbes said all three defendants "played a part".

"These defendants were all involved, perhaps to differing degrees, but all involved in the damage caused. There must have been a plan, an agreement between them."

The trial continues.