A CONCERNED father broke a door down to protect his child from heroin users, a court heard.
Louis Julienne, of Well Street, Cefn Mawr, admitted causing criminal damage to the front door of a house his mother was sharing.
He claimed he did it because his child had become trapped in the house with three men, described by his solicitor as having criminal histories “as long as their arms”.
Wrexham magistrates heard the dad-of-two, 32, had gone to visit his mother, who was taking care of his six-year-old son, at her home in Ruabon Road.
But when Mrs Julienne went out to the shop the three men went into her bedroom, sparking the incident.
Matthew Ellis, prosecuting, said: “Police were called to reports of people fighting with hammers and saucepans.
“When they arrived the front door was open as if it had been kicked and there were pieces all over the floor.
“It was alleged he had called round to have a confront one of the men over damage caused to a bike.
“He was seen smashing the door with a hammer before driving off.”
The cost of mending the door was almost £1,000 but Bethan Jones, defending, pointed out the door was already damaged before Julienne’s visit.
There were in fact builders at the property to carry out a repair when he arrived.
She said: “The case is not quite as the Crown suggests.
“One of the gentlemen, if you can call them that, came down and went into Mrs Julienne’s bedroom.
“When my client followed him the man pushed him out on to the street.
“His six-year-old child was now alone in the house with three heroin users.
“He accepts he damaged the door to get back in the house.”
She explained Julienne was trying to make a life for him and his 15-year-old and six-year-old sons and he had not been before the courts for many years until now.
Julienne was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £300 compensation, £85 court costs and a £15 victim surcharge.