HSBC executive caught on CCTV hacking down security cameras with axe amid row with landowner

The father of three, who works in asset management at the banking giant, was handed a 12-month prison term, suspended for 12 months, along with a £2,000 fine.

His destructive rampage was captured on a concealed wildlife camera, leading to his arrest after he confessed to officers that his actions were "absolutely bloody ridiculous".

The court heard that Gavin, a licensed firearms holder, first targeted a camera that had been installed near the entrance to the field on July 23 last year.

Using his legally-owned shotgun, he blasted the recording device before disposing of the wreckage and its mounting frame in a nearby ditch.

A local resident alerted Isabelle O'Shea, who rented the land for her horses, after hearing multiple gunshots in the area.

When she arrived at the site, only fragments of broken camera housing remained.

Four days later, Ms O'Shea installed a replacement camera alongside a hidden wildlife device to monitor the area.

Within 48 hours, Gavin struck again, shooting the new CCTV equipment before returning with a drill and an axe to hack down the wooden post and discard remains in nearby bushes.

The bizarre incidents stemmed from an ongoing dispute between Gavin and landowner Brian Macey, over wooden pallets being transported and stored on the Grove Road site.

Gavin told police the pallets were "creeping closer and closer" to his timber-framed property, sparking fears about potential fire hazards.

His concerns were not without foundation, as the court heard that fire services had attended three separate blazes at the location, and local authority enforcement action had also been taken.

Prosecutor Simon Smith explained Ms O'Shea and Mr Macey had jointly decided to install CCTV following what were described as "minor damage issues" at the field.

Gavin's defence barrister, Leon Kazakos KC, told the court his client had initially pursued "proper channels" by lodging complaints with the council, but the situation failed to improve.

In light of the defendants actions, Ms O'Shea described living in "constant fear" while at the field and feeling "petrified" that the situation might escalate further, while Mr Macey stated that the ordeal had left him "feeling on edge".

When police arrested Gavin on the night of the second attack, seizing his collection of shotguns and airguns along with his firearms certificate, he immediately admitted responsibility.

"Yes, I put my hands up. I damaged the camera," he told officers, appearing "remorseful and disappointed" during his interview.

He acknowledged having "nothing against Ms O'Shea" and that his actions were directed solely at the landowner dispute.

Judge Sarah Counsell acknowledged the "terrifying" experience endured by Ms O'Shea in particular, but determined that a suspended sentence was appropriate given several mitigating factors.

The court heard Gavin had been diagnosed with a depressive disorder characterised by paranoia, poor sleep, hypervigilance and "vivid nightmares" of his home and family perishing in flames.

His barrister argued that imprisonment would cost Gavin his tidy £10,000 monthly salary, devastating his family both financially and emotionally.

The judge noted his genuine remorse, early guilty pleas, the impact custody would have on others, and a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

Gavin, who wept in the dock upon learning he would avoid prison, was also ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work and up to five rehabilitation activity requirements.

He must pay £180 compensation to Mr Macey for the damaged equipment and £1,000 in prosecution costs within three months.