Aaron Christopher Whitchurch sentenced in Dalby Magistrates Court for revenge act on Western Downs Regional Council

A Dalby man was spotted by CCTV getting out of his vehicle and slashing the tyres of an animal patrol car in what he claimed was an act of revenge against council.

Man sentenced after slashing tyres of a Western Downs Regional Council vehicle.

A man who claimed he was trying to teach council a lesson in retaliation over issues he has had with his animals took his frustration out by slashing the tyres of an animal patrol car that was parked at the council building.

Aaron Christopher Whitchurch appeared in Dalby Magistrates Court on November 14 after he was seen on CCTV damaging a car owned by Western Downs Regional Council, parked next to the Red Rooster he had attended.

Police prosecutor Chris Hutchins said the 46-year-old man had entered the fast food drive thru on October 28 before stepping out of his vehicle with a knife.

“(Whitchurch) said ‘this will teach them’ and approached the white Toyota Hilux with a Western Downs Regional Council logo on the vehicle,” Sergeant Hutchins said.

“He then used the knife to stab all four tyres of the vehicle and returned to his own car.”

The court was told police took up with the man after identifying his registration and details on camera.

“The sad thing about the whole story is he’s not really teaching the council anything,” Sergeant Hutchins said.

“All he’s done is cost taxpayer’s money, it’s really an offence against the community.”

Defence lawyer Brad Skuse said there was no prior planning to his client’s offence, as it was “spur of the moment” and the man’s frustrations stemmed from “ongoing issues” with council regarding the man’s animals.

Whitchurch pleaded guilty to willful damage and having a knife in public.

He was fined $800, a conviction was recorded.

Originally published as Aaron Christopher Whitchurch sentenced in Dalby Magistrates Court for revenge act on Western Downs Regional Council