He caused over £4,000 worth of damage
A man who filmed himself using a hammer to smash up a boat moored at Carrickfergus Marina has avoided being sent to prison.
Dean Portis, 41, sent a video message during the attack which caused up to £4,000 worth of damage.
Imposing 10 months custody, suspended for three years, District Judge Steven Keown warned: “He is getting one chance to stay out of jail.”
Portis, of Olive Street in Belfast, pleaded guilty to sending menacing messages by a communications network and criminal damage.
The city’s Magistrates Court heard a member of staff at the marina received WhatsApp contact from Portis late at night on July 30 this year.
The video message showed Portis board the victim’s boat with a hammer and start to smash the windows.
At one point the defendant got into the wheelhouse area and continued swinging the hammer to cause further damage while shouting: “Come out and face me.”
A prosecution lawyer said: “He was also observed emptying the contents of the toilet onto the boat and a diesel tank into the sea.”
Two generators, a power washer, six batteries and a starter back were all destroyed after being thrown into the water.
The owner of the vessel has estimated the damage to be in the region of £4,000.
He told police Portis had sent him several Facebook messages earlier that evening telling him to either get out or face “being removed”.
One of the texts also stated: “It’s in your best interest to leave, you’re in danger.”
The court heard Portis is in breach of up to nine previous suspended sentences for driving-related offences.
“Alcohol and drugs were a factor in terms of this incident,” defence barrister Michael Halleron said.
Passing sentence, Mr Keown said Portis was only being spared immediate imprisonment due to his immediate admissions.
“He seems to have advertised his guilt by phone to show what he did,” the judge said.
Along with the suspended jail term, Portis was ordered to pay £2,000 compensation to the owner of the boat.
