A DEMOLITION contractor who took down a family's gate in his Isuzu truck after his son's car was set on fire has been ordered to cough up $1520.95 to fix it.
Glen Edward McAlister, 47, was found guilty without conviction in Toronto Local Court on Thursday, on a charge of destroying or damaging property, where he denied yelling "F--- your gate" after turning up to a house at Killingworth about 2.20am on March 18, last year.
The court heard McAlister went to the house in the early hours of the morning after his son's car was set on fire, on suspicion the residents were somehow involved.
During police questioning, McAlister admitted he "might have ran into it", arguing he was in a rush and had forgotten to put the handbrake on.
The court heard his wife called the residents hours later to offer to pay for repairs.
"I don't recall hitting it, but like I said if I did hit it I was willing to pay for it," McAlister said from the witness box.
But, police prosecutor Sergeant Adam Checkley wasn't convinced.
"Sir, you didn't just attend the house with the intention of having a friendly discussion with ... did you?"
"And you also said the words, 'F--- your gate' when you were at the ... house."
Magistrate Michael Morahan found the offence proven without conviction.
"Well you're a real hot head, aren't you Mr McAlister?"
"You are going to have to pay for the gate ... it's a shame it wasn't settled there and then."
