A shovel-wielding vandal intent on revenge smashed up a crown court causing £17,000 worth of damage - then declared his barrister "is very pretty."

After his arrest Konstantin Shutov, from Maidstone, told officers: “It was my way of getting back to the courts.”

At the time of the attack the 38-year-old was at the end of a licence period after being jailed for attacking emergency workers.

The Bulgarian national brought Canterbury Crown Court proceedings to a halt to pour praise on his lawyer, Emin Kandola.

"I just want to say Miss Emin is very nice.

"She is very pretty and has a nice name," he declared, before being led to the cells.

Shutov used the weapon to destroy six panels of Maidstone Crown Court’s entrance in view of witnesses in the evening of May 8, prosecutors said.

After police were alerted “he was found sitting next to the damaged shovel,” Claire Langevad prosecuting, said.

The warehouseman told officers “It was my way of getting back at the court,” however, he later argued he couldn’t remember his actions because “he had been losing time,” Miss Langevad added.

Shutov’s destruction, which cost the taxpayer between £12,000 - £17,000, came after his release from HMP Elmley.

He had served a “short sentence” after being convicted at Canterbury Crown Court for assaulting an emergency worker, the court heard.

He was also sentenced for 26 weeks at Maidstone Crown Court this year for assaulting emergency workers.

After punching a nurse he declared: “This is what men do in Bulgaria," KentOnline reported at the time.

"You were witnessed committing this damage, you were filmed and arrested..."

And when Judge Rupert Lowe asked Shutov to stop interrupting proceedings, he responded: "Thank you, you are very nice people indeed.”

Jailing Shutov for six months, Judge Lowe said: "You found yourself in Maidstone and you set about to cause as much damage as you could which, I’m told, has a cost of somewhere between £12,000 and £17,000 to replace.

“You were witnessed committing this damage, you were filmed and arrested.

“When you were arrested you said ‘it’s my way of getting to the courts - no doubt this was a revenge attack against the court building.”

Shutov, of Sheals Crescent, was released with immediate effect after already serving 10 months on remand.

Emin Kandola, mitigating, said Shutov suffered “issues recalling personal matters” after having been isolated in prison.

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