Man, 23, hit with fine for damaging neighbour’s car

A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to damaging a neighbour’s car window after getting into a heated argument with a family member. William Coomer appeared before Rockingham Magistrates Court via video link last Friday charged with one count of criminal damage and one count of breaching bail. Prosecutor Sergeant Shaun Bailey told the court that at 9pm on October 20, 2021, Coomer was at a family member’s house in Warnbro when he and two other males became involved in an argument at the front of the house. During the argument, Coomer picked up a metre-long stick that he found on the ground and struck the back window of a neighbour’s car that was parked nearby, causing the window to shatter. When police arrived, he made full admissions to the incident but was unable to provide an explanation as to why he did it. The breach of bail was due to a missed court appearance on November 22, 2021, in relation to the incident. Duty councillor Stacey Byrne said that on the night of the incident, there “was an argument with other family members”. “The car belonged to a neighbour and Mr Coomer simply got angry as a result of the argument with his family,” she said. “He understands that the neighbour shouldn’t have been (affected) as a result of what was happening with his family.” “He was under the influence of alcohol and cannabis at the time; Mr Coomer has said that he has struggled with alcohol use in the past.” Ms Byrne said that the breach of bail was a result of finding out his partner was pregnant with their first child and “he was feeling overwhelmed by that and the relationship”, she said. Ms Byrne said that Coomer wants to engage in drug and alcohol counselling following his sentencing. Coomer received a $500 fine and was ordered to pay court cost of $134.50 and for the breach of bail a fine of $100 and court cost of $134.50.