A TEENAGER who scratched the image of a penis into the bonnet of a car in the central Warrnambool McDonald’s restaurant car park with a knife has been ordered to do 40 hours of community work.
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Timothy Micheal James, 18, of Raglan Parade, Warrnambool, pleaded guilty in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court this week to causing criminal damage.
James said he was not in a good head space on the day of the offence because it was the anniversary of a friend’s death.
He said he acted as he did after hearing the owner of the car’s son had been harassing young women he knew.
Police said that at 5.20pm on September 15 the victim drove her red Mitsubishi and parked in the central McDonald’s car park before going inside with her family for a meal.
James knew the victim’s son and he was given a small knife by another person before approaching the car.
The incident was reported to police who obtained security camera footage from the restaurant and inquiries led to James handing himself in to the police station.
Damage caused to the car was valued at $1002 and James was ordered to pay that compensation.
James had no prior court appearances.
Magistrate Cynthia Toose said the offending was inappropriate for many reasons and she described the owner of the vehicle as an innocent party.
She said James was unemployed, did not have the means to pay a significant fine and so she placed him on a six-month community corrections order with the condition he do 40 hours of community work.
