THIS WEEK IN 1973: Man given wee fine for police car damage
A former Hampshire police cadet's joke on a village constable misfired in more ways than one, after he incurred fines for urinating in a PC's car's petrol tank.
Isle of Wight magistrates at Newport heard a man admit that when he saw a car belonging to PC Colin Thomas outside Freshwater Social Club one night, he ‘did a silly thing’.
James Ellis, prosecuting, said the man also disconnected two spark plug leads.
He said: ‘The officer was left to make a somewhat erratic trip home.’
The culprit was fined £15 for ‘damaging’ three gallons of petrol, and £5 for tampering with the engine. He admitted both offences.
Despite writing a letter of apology to the inconvenienced officer, he was ordered to pay for a tank of urine-free petrol.