A painter and decorator has been fined £450 after a row over an invoice.

Michael John Kewley returned to a job he’d done and started painting over it with black paint after the customer disputed the price.

The 45-year-old previously denied two counts of criminal damage, but on February 17, changed his plea and pleaded guilty to one of the counts, with the other being dismissed.

Prosecuting advocate Chrissie Hunt told the court that Kewley completed a job at Queen’s Avenue in Douglas.

However, the property owner disputed the invoice amount.

Kewley was then said to have arrived at the address and started painting over the work he’d done on a wall, with black paint.

Ms Hunt said that any financial dispute would be better left to the civil court.

A probation report said that Kewley, who lives at Farvane Close, Anagh Coar, had been struggling with his mental health.

Kewley denied that he had been verbally abusive during a phone call with the customer or made any threats.

He said he had gone to the house to try to get payment and finish some work, but there had been a verbal altercation with the customer and her son.

Kewley claimed the son had assaulted him and he had spilled paint on the property, but Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood said that she had seen the photos and there had been deliberate painting using black paint.

Defence advocate Darren Taubitz said that his client had visited the property five or six times, and work had been added to the initial quote.

Mr Taubitz said that Kewley had used £2,000 worth of materials and hadn’t been paid anything yet.

The defendant was also ordered to pay £550 prosecution costs and will pay at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.