A man who kicked a glass door after being accused of shoplifting at a Tesco Express store in Bath has been ordered to pay £200 compensation to the retailer.
At Bath Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 15th April, Paul Hillman, 58, admitted causing criminal damage to a glass door panel at the store in Westgate Buildings in the city centre.
Prosecutor Giles Tippett said that Hillman, of Sherwood Road in Keynsham, had been with two other men in the store when staff asked them to leave as they were suspected of shoplifting.
Hillman had kicked the panel, which cracked, in what Mr Tippett said was a “wilful” act.
He asked the bench to consider ordering Hillman to pay compensation to Tesco.
Duty solicitor Will Palmer told the court that Hillman “took great umbrage” at being “wrongfully” accused of shoplifting.
He had kicked the door in “a fit of pique” and had later apologised to the police for his actions.
The value of the damage caused was not known, but in sentencing Hillman, who is on benefits, magistrates said such doors are not cheap.
They ordered him to pay £200 compensation, but did not make any order for him to pay prosecution costs or a court surcharge.
