An uncle and nephew who carried out a ’vigilante’ act by vandalising a man’s car have been jailed for 12 weeks.

Kevin Richard Lindon, of Ballachurry Avenue, Onchan, and Shaun Anthony Ward, of Malew Street, Castletown, scratched an aggressive and offensive message on the car’s bonnet.

The duo admitted jointly committing property damage and theft with the case adjourned for a probation report.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told Lindon and Ward: ’This wasn’t a spontaneous act, it was a targeted offence. You clearly both have a grudge. You could have taken your complaint to the authorities.

’A clear message has to go out, vigilantism will not be tolerated.’

We previously reported that the complainant in the case said that he saw Lindon, who is 50, and Ward, who is 32, sitting in a Vauxhall Astra near to the old Liverpool Arms pub in Baldrine on February 6 at 4.45pm.

They saw the man drive past and CCTV later showed Lindon and Ward vandalising the his BMW.

Lindon was said to have popped the car’s tyres while Ward smashed the windscreen.

They then both broke other windows in the car and finished off the job by scratching the message on the car bonnet.

They were also said to have taken a motorcross helmet worth £100 from the car.

The duo were later arrested and when interviewed by police both gave ’no comment’ responses to all questions.

A probation report described the act as ’aggressive’ and ’bully boy tactics’.

Defending Lindon, advocate James Peterson said: ’It was an impulsive act done at a time of emotional distress. Mr Lindon accepts it was his idea.

’He had been at a funeral of a close friend with his nephew Mr Ward and they saw the complainant drive past.

’There have been historical difficulties between them and they made the stupid decision to enter the site where his car was parked.’

Mr Peterson said that his client was signed off work with depression at the time of the incident.

The court heard that Lindon’s last convictions were for two driving matters in 2012.

’He is not a man who regularly offends,’ said Mr Peterson. ’We would submit these offences are a blip and not likely to be repeated.’

Peter Taylor, representing Ward, said that his client was ’emotional’ as he had suffered a bereavement just prior to the incident and had still not got over it.

’Unfortunately his coping mechanism is alcohol,’ said the advocate.

’He attended the funeral and consumed a large quantity of alcohol. He tends to follow people into criminality and accepts he went along with it.’

Mr Taylor went on to say that Ward had thought that police would not believe his complaint against the man concerned so he had ’taken the law into his own hands’ and committed an act of ’vigilantism’.

’This offence was in February and Mr Ward has remained out of trouble since then,’ said the advocate.

Mrs Hughes sentenced the pair to 12 weeks in custody for the property damage offence and eight for the theft, to run concurrently.