Disgruntled bricklayer threatened to demolish walls he helped put up on Hartlepool building site in pay row

Danny Campbell, 22, turned up at the site on Bishop Cuthbert armed with a hammer after calling the site manager and making threats, Teesside Magistrates’ Court heard.

He also warned he would knock it down repeatedly and the site would never get finished.

The court heard self-employed Campbell and three workmates worked on the site from July last year until early this year.

Alan Davison, prosecuting, said the site manager decided to pay them off after the group tested positive for Covid in February but that there was a delay with some of the wages.

Mr Davison said: “The site manager was travelling to work at 7.15am and received a phone call from Mr Campbell saying he was going to knock down walls and they would never get the site finished as he would return and repeatedly cause damage to it.”

Campbell arrived at the site shortly after the site manager.

Mr Davison added: “He was holding a hammer above his head threatening that he wanted his money and shouted he would start to smash things up if he didn’t get his money.”

The court heard he calmed down after speaking to another site worker and did not actually cause any damage.

Nick Woodhouse, defending, said it was a civil matter which had ended up in court due to the threats.

He said Campbell and his colleagues worked a week in hand and claimed they were owed over £2,000 after being let go.

At the time, he added Campbell had just had his first child and his rent was due.

Mr Woodhouse said: “He accepts he didn’t go about this the right way.

"He didn’t cause any damage and he left without causing any damage.”

Campbell, of Laurel Avenue, Thornaby, pleaded guilty to threatening to damage or destroy property and was fined £300.

He was also ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £34 surcharge.

District Judge Steven Hood told him: "You went about it in completely the wrong way.

"A relatively short exchange of five minutes has cost you quite a lot.”

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