Shocking moment enraged historian, 80, smashes cars with scaffolding pole in feud with two hoteliers over parking spaces

THIS is the dramatic moment an 80-year-old military historian “snapped” and went on a car-smashing rampage after a bitter feud with his hotelier neighbours turned toxic. Alexandre Binda took a steel scaffolding pole to two cars outside a hotel in Rothbury, Northumberland, causing more than £6500 of damage, after months of tit-for-tat rows over parking spaces. This is the moment an 80-year-old military historian went on a car-smashing rampage Credit: CPS Alexandre Binda took a metal pole to two cars outside a hotel in Northumberland Credit: CPS The former Rhodesian soldier walked free from Newcastle Crown Court with an 18-month conditional discharge after a judge said there were “clearly two sides” to the saga. Binda and his wife had been in a neighbours-at-war battle with a hotel manager and his husband, whose premises back onto the couple’s mews home. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The feud escalated so badly that the hotelier and his husband were both charged with common assault against Binda and his wife, though they were later cleared. But before that case even reached court, Binda walked up to the hotel armed with a pole and began smashing up the vehicles he believed were parked on his property. He is seen swinging the pole and striking the front of one vehicle Credit: CPS Mr Binda pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage Credit: NNP Shocking footage shows him approaching one vehicle with a pole as he appears to argue with another person nearby. He is then shown swinging the pole and striking the front of the motor. Binda wrecked a van to the tune of £4500 and caused a further £2000 of damage to a Range Rover – all caught on camera by the hoteliers. According to The Telegraph, Prosecutor Saba Shan told the court the couple “looked outside and saw the defendant smashing two vehicles with a metal scaffolding pole”, with one filming while the other dialled 999. Most read in The Sun The van owner received a £4500 payout, but the Range Rover wasn’t insured. The hotel manager’s husband said he “could no longer live in my property due to the anxiety and depressions it’s caused”. It was also heard at court that the pair had left the hotel. Binda, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage and was ordered to pay £1000 compensation at £50 a month. Defending, Nick Lane said: “He is deeply ashamed and embarrassed that, at the age of 80, he finds himself before your honour today.” He added: “He simply snapped and acted in the way he did”.