The teenagers caused damage worth Rs 3 crore to the house.
A British couple's Rs 12 crore house was destroyed by child vandals who used chainsaws, hammers, and axes. The house looked like a war zone. In a month-long rampage, the careless teenagers smashed antiques, stained-glass windows, and even cut down a palm tree.
Joanna Pittard, husband Matt and their two daughters had planned to make it their family home before it was 'absolutely trashed' by the youths, reported The Metro News.
According to a release by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, six teenagers have been sentenced for causing hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage to a Grade II listed house in Shanklin between May 5 and June 5, 2022.
For the whole month, the teenagers gained access to the house and proceeded to smash up furniture and windows, as well as causing significant damage to the structure of the house's interior, including windows and doors, and damage to fittings, fixtures, home decorations, and personal possessions. As a result, the market value of the house depreciated by an estimated Rs 3 crore.
Following an investigation by the South Wight Neighbourhoods Policing Team, the following teenagers, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Isle of Wight Youth Court on Wednesday, October 25, and admitted one count each of criminal damage:
A 14-year-old girl from Shanklin
Two 13-year-old boys from Shanklin
A 15-year-old boy from Newport
A 14-year-old girl from Godshill
A 16-year-old boy from Hythe, New Forest
A 14-year-old boy from Shanklin
They were also all ordered to pay Rs 1.5 lakh in compensation each.
PC James Carey, who led the investigation, said: "The children involved in this case caused an overwhelming amount of damage to this property, which naturally has caused unimaginable stress to the homeowners. The Magistrate overseeing the sentencing remarked that he had never seen a criminal damage incident of such scale in 20 years on the Isle of Wight."