Protective father who rammed his JEEP through the wall of his daughter's 'nightmare neighbour's house because they were terrorising her' walks free from court

A father who drove his 4x4 into the living room of his daughter's neighbours yelling 'That's how you bang on a f***ing wall' was today spared jail.
Paul Kingsman snapped after his daughter Sophie was repeatedly terrorised by Charlene Vernall, who lived next to her in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
He was handed a suspended sentence after a judge took pity on him, saying that police should have stepped in to stop the situation escalating.

Free: Paul Kingsman, right, has escaped jail after driving into the home of a woman who had tormented his daughter Sophie, left

Destruction: Kingsman shouted 'That's how you bang on a f***ing wall' as he drove his 4x4 through the wall

After 23-year-old Sophie had endured five months of abuse from her neighbour, her father warned the occupants of Ms Vernall's house they had three minutes to leave.
He then reversed his Cherokee Jeep into the front wall, forcing those inside to flee out of the windows at the back of the house.
Kingsman, 52, then drove home in his damaged car and sat sobbing until the police arrived.
The company boss pleaded guilty to affray, dangerous driving and criminal damage, but was cleared of causing damage being reckless to endanger life.
Peterborough Crown Court heard that in January last year Ms Kingsman reported Ms Vernall, 25, to the RSPCA for leaving her dog unfed in the snow.
Her neighbour then began a hate campaign, inviting men round to her council house for wild parties with deafening music playing until five in the morning.
They would bang on Ms Kingsman's wall at all hours of the night, keeping her baby son awake until the early hours.

Family: Charlene Vernall, pictured with three of her children, allegedly tormented Ms Kingsman for months

Victim: Sophie Kingsman was apparently targeted after she reported Ms Vernall to the RSPCA

'I could hear men threatening to come round and punch me in the face,' she told the court. 'I could hear people saying they needed to go and get weapons. I was always frightened.'
Ms Kingsman reported Ms Vernall to her housing association and the local police, but they did not stop the abuse.
One morning in June, she rang her father while he was out shopping and complained about what was happening, prompting him to drive over to her house in a blind rage, crossing parks and footpaths on the way.
Kingsman told the court: 'I took the view no one else was going to stop it. I thought if I damage that property no-one could live there.
'I lined my car up, drove through the fence and stopped. I got out and banged the door and the window and was shouting, "You've got three minutes to get out."
'Then I rammed the house in. When I got out I shouted: "That's how you bang on a f***ing wall!"'
The crash caused £14,000 worth of damage and the gaping hole left the house structurally unsafe.

Trial: Kingsman and his daughter arriving at Peterborough Crown Court with other relatives last month

Accusation: Ms Vernall is alleged to have held all-night parties which disturbed Ms Kingsman

Jane Bickerstaff QC, defending, said Kingsman had been under 'severe stress' at the time due to his father suffering from Alzheimer's and difficulties with his salvage firm.
Judge Sean Enright sentenced him to 18 months in prison, suspended for two years.
Kingsman was also banned from driving for three years, ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay the housing association £13,462 in compensation.
The judge said: 'Your daughter was the subject of prolonged and constant abuse at the hands of her neighbour. She was not effectively supported by a number of agencies including the police and her housing association.
'It seems you were particularly close to your daughter and you decided to take direct action to put things right.
'However, I should point out what is obvious. Your obligations as a father were to contact the housing association and police to insist something was done.
'Sometimes the mechanisms in society do not work very well. But it is up to people like you to make sure these things work as they should.
'Instead, the actions you took were thuggish and selfish. You caused distress, shock and fear.'
However, Mr Enright added: 'You took steps to ensure no one was in the house and were shocked when you realised there were people inside.
'It seems to me that the persecution of your daughter seems to have tipped you over the edge and led you to act in a way entirely out of character.
'You are of exemplary character, having raised a family and become an employer of around 20 people.
'In principle, custody is richly deserved. But this is one of those rare cases where the public interest is not served by a custodial sentence.'

DM