Masked gang used weapons to smash up Wakefield home after Facebook revenge threats
They armed themselves with bats and metal poles
A gang of masked men targeted a home in a revenge attack over a stolen motorbike.
Threats were made over Facebook by scrap-metal merchant Alexander Goddard who recruited the men to smash windows and attempt to gain entry at the property in the Kettlethorpe area of Wakefield.
Goddard was given a community order at Leeds Crown Court this week, having already spent almost two months on remand.
The court heard that in March the 35-year-old began to post on Facebook about his stolen bike, including snippets of CCTV footage, and naming whom he thought was involved.
One post read: “Bad moves you little scruffs, I’ll see you soon.”
Then on the afternoon of March 29, a convoy of three vehicles including a Land Rover, an Audi A3 and a Ford Transit went to the address and up to 10 men got out.
Wearing face coverings, one had a baseball bat and another a metal pole, possibly a crowbar, and smashed the property windows. The bat even snapped and was later recovered by police in the garden.
They were there for around 12 minutes but failed to get into the property where a woman was inside calling the police.
Goddard, of Thorne Close, Barnsley, was interviewed by police on May 7, giving a prepared statement and denying any knowledge of the incident.
Held on remand, he later admitted a charge of affray.
He has 21 previous convictions for 44 offences, largely for driving.
Mitigating, Matthew Stewart said Goddard had started up a scrap-metal business and was eager to return to work.
He said he admitted what he did was “completely unacceptable”.
Judge Howard Crowson told Goddard: “Your frustration [at the bike being stolen] was understandable, but the problem is you decided to take it into your own hands.”
He gave him the 12-month community order, a £200 fine, 200 hours of unpaid and 25 days rehabilitation days to complete with probation.
He was also given a five-year restraining order to stay away from the woman whose home he attacked.