A CAR owner whose vehicle was vandalised twice in a month was compensated at the double.

Blackburn magistrates heard one case involved damage to the car by Daniel Cocker on September 29, and the next case they dealt with involved damage to the same vehicle by Lee Drugan a month earlier.

The two incidents were unrelated and the offenders were not known to each other.

On both occasions the damage caused was a dent to the driver’s door.

Drugan, 24, of Onchan Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to damaging a Hyundai belonging to Ben Parry and damaging a Skoda parked on the same street on August 24.

He was ordered to pay £300 compensation to Mr Parry and £350 to the owner of the other car.

Daniel Joseph Cocker, 23, of Pilmuir Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to damaging Mr Parry’s car on September 29. He was ordered to pay £300 compensation and £85 costs.

Tracy Yates, prosecuting Cocker, said Mr Parry had parked his car outside his home.

At 6.15pm he heard a loud bang and when he checked his CCTV saw a man walking past his car throw a can of beer at the vehicle.

Cocker told police he had been drinking and was angry because things were bad at home.

Duncan Nightingale, defending, said his client had split from his partner.

“He admitted throwing the can of beer out of frustration,” said Mr Nightingale.

Mrs Yates said the owner of a Skoda parked on Pilmuir Road had discovered his car had been damaged and went to see his neighbour, Mr Parry, because he had CCTV.

“When they viewed the footage from the previous night they saw Drugan kick the Skoda and then kick the driver’s door of Mr Parry’s car.

Drugan told police he couldn’t remember why he did it and said he didn’t know the owner of either vehicle.

Mr Nightingale, defending, said there was no rhyme or reason to the offences.

He said Drugan was living with his grandmother until she went into a care home in June.

“He was drifting and going through quite a rough time but he accepts that is no reason for kicking someone’s car as he walked past,” said Mr Nightingale.