A disgruntled builder smashed up a woman’s patio with a sledgehammer after he didn’t get paid by his boss for doing the work.

Capelo Musse was subcontracted by a businessman to install a paved outdoor area at a couple’s home in Halling in May last year.

However, after finishing the job, the contractor went round to collect the £3,750 he had quoted Susan Clark for the work, but a court heard he never passed any of the cash onto Musse for the work he’d done.

So 10 days later, the 25-year-old revisited her home with another man and smashed up the patio tiles which Mrs Clark had paid Musse’s boss for.

Musse, of Heron Way, Chatham, was later charged with criminal damage and admitted the offence when he appeared before magistrates in March.

At the time, a pre-sentencing report was ordered and he returned to magistrates in Medway on May 22 to learn his fate.

The court heard the incident happened on May 17, last year and left Mrs Clark on edge and unable to sleep properly.

Gareth Johnson, prosecuting, said: “On May 6, work started at Sarah Clark’s home and she was having a patio laid there.

“This work continued on May 7 until it was all installed, and she paid £3,750 to the manager of the company she’d asked to do the work.

“Then on May 17, the defendant turned up at her home and said he’d not been paid for the work.

“She told him she’s paid in full, but he jumped over the side gate and she tried to stop him, but he took a sledgehammer to every single tile and smashed up every single tile with that sledgehammer.

“He was arrested and admitted it in interview, but the cost of the damage was £3,750, but I don’t know if she’s made an insurance claim.”

Geoff Playford, defending, said his client should be given credit for his early guilty plea.

He added: “He contracted the job and got Mr Musse and colleagues to do the work.

“The work was finished and he went round and collected the money and then disappeared.

“When he (Musse) found this out, that he’d not been paid, he got upset, but he should not have taken it out on the Clarks.

“He has since lost his licence for failing to provide and got a three-year ban, but that’s been reduced on appeal, but he couldn’t work (after that) and was trying to get jobs.”

However, the court also heard his health had deteriorated because of nitrous oxide misuse.

Mr Playford added: “He’s got medical problems and both his legs are now in braces as it’s affecting his mobility.

“He’s unable to work and gets £400 a month in Universal Credit and he’s applied for PIP because he’s disabled now.

“He lives in Chatham and his elderly father lives in Maidstone and he’s not his official carer, but helps him out, he’s got a heart problem and is not particularly well.

“He’s hoping to do a course with the benefits agency as he can speak Portuguese, as he’s from Mozambique, so he can be a translator.

“He owns his own home, but it’s £1,000 a month for the mortgage and his mortgage company has given him a bit of a holiday, but this will not be forever, and his financial position is not good.

“He’s on a community order for a previous offence, but he now has a medical certificate and so unpaid work is not recommended and a curfew would impose on him.”

Magistrates said they had heard the circumstances of what happened but that they had also heard what he had done.

As a result, they said they had little option but to jail Musse for the offence, but were prepared to suspend the term.

It was a revenge attack because you didn’t get your money

The chairman of the bench added: “It was a revenge attack because you didn’t get your money.

“You smashed up the patio and took a friend with you.

“It was your intention to smash up the patio and it’s had a serious impact.

“She was on her own and felt really threatened by you smashing it up with the sledgehammer.

“She’s on edge now and struggling to sleep and being on a community order already aggravates the matter.”

The bench decided to jail Musse for two months for the offence, but suspended the term for 18 months.

He was also ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation sessions and was placed on a tagged curfew and must stay indoors between the hours of 8pm and 9am for three months.

Musse was also ordered to pay Mrs Clark £3,750 compensation.