An estate agent vandalised a car outside court after he was forced to hand over £3,000 to a recruitment manager in fees and fines.

Ham & High: James Richmond, M/D of JR Recruitment, with his vandalised car.James Richmond, M/D of JR Recruitment, with his vandalised car. (Image: � Nigel Sutton email pictures@nigelsuttonphotography.com)

Oliver McHugh damaged the top-of-the-range grey Audi TT belonging to the managing director of JR Recruitment, James Richmond, after he was ordered to cough up for refusing to pay recruitment fees.

Mr Richmond, 24, saw the criminal damage happen as he left Edmonton County Court on April 28.

He told the Ham&High: “I walked out the court and saw him leaving, so I waited because I did not want to annoy him. The next minute I just saw him bend down and key the whole of my car.

“I chased him and he tried to run up the road but it was a dead-end.

“I grabbed him and he escaped and ran down another road to in an attempt to get into a taxi.

“I managed to catch up with him and saw a police van so held him whilst calling them over. They arrested him at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage.”

Mr McHugh, managing director of Olivers Town estate agents in Kentish Town, was on bail for a month but later admitted causing criminal damage. He has been cautioned by police.

Mr Richmond added: “The damage will cost about £3,000 to repair because he scratched the whole of one side of my car.

“I’m glad that the situation is finally sorted, for the second time.

“I think Oliver has got off lightly on this occasion.”

Mr Richmond, 56, became acquainted with Mr McHugh after Olivers Town contracted him to find potential new employees for the Camden branches.

He was forced to take the estate agent to court in April after Mr McHugh breached the contract and failed to pay the agreed recruitment fees, using the excuse that the employee took time off to visit her sick father in hospital.

Mr McHugh initially argued he was not prepared to pay the fees because he was dissatisfied with the employee for taking time off and being “preoccupied” about her father’s ill health.

But the court did not accept his defence and ordered him to pay the fees in full.

Mr Richmond said he was “relieved” he would finally get the money and added: “He lied about loads of stuff to try to get out of his contract but in the end he paid us the full amount straight away so he obviously had the money. I don’t know why he didn’t pay before.”

The Ham&High contacted Mr McHugh but he did not comment.