Row at Mayo EV charging station led to €9k worth of tippex damage to Tesla

The “red mist” descended when a man threw tippex at a Tesla after a row at an EV charging station in Mayo.

Thomas Kelly, aged 47, of Railway Road, Clongriffin, Dublin 13, caused almost €9,000 worth of damage to the vehicle.

He pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to a charge of causing criminal damage. The court heard that the incident occurred on July 18, 2022, at Casey’s Londis, Lannagh Road, Castlebar.

The injured party, Eoin Lisibach, lived in Castlebar at the time but now resides in Norway. He contacted gardaí at 11.20 p.m. on the date in question and officers met him at Station Road.

Mr. Lisibach told gardaí that when he had returned to collect his white Tesla a male in a red van became irate over the length of time he had left the car charging. Kelly claimed the Tesla had been at the charging point for six hours.

Mr. Lisibach told gardaí that he did not want to get into an argument with the man and got into his vehicle after disconnecting the charger. As he went to drive away, he observed Kelly throw a white substance at his car.

When he parked at his home, approximately a kilometre away, he discovered the substance splashed across the passenger side of his vehicle.

Garda Ciara Padden said there were ‘droplets’ across the passenger door and rear of the car.

The total damage amounted to €8,970.

“A few droplets of tippex. What’s that about?” queried Judge Eoin Garavan about the cost.

The court was told that Tesla dealerships will not allow the vehicles to be resprayed and instead have to replace every damaged panel on the car.

Gardaí asked Mr. Lisibach on the night if they could take his vehicle for inspection but he refused as he was travelling to the UK and needed the car.

There was no CCTV of the incident and no witnesses but Kelly and his van were identified via footage from the Tesla’s on-board camera.

Insurance covered the damage but Mr. Lisibach had an €860 excess as a result.

The court heard that Kelly was removing items from his van when he threw the unopened bottle of corrective fluid at the Tesla.

The lid came off and the tippex splashed on the car.

Barrister Brendan McDonagh said Kelly lost his job following the incident but has since found new work. The defendant's van had required a high-powered charging port and with only 2km of charge left in his vehicle no other charging point was within range.

The defendant was accompanied by a colleague who was a student and needed to be back in Dublin for an exam the following morning.

The long wait also caused issues for his client who is diabetic.

“Anger got the better of him,” remarked Judge Garavan who said it was understandable Kelly "saw red mist", adding that the injured party was “somewhat selfish” in not collecting his car sooner.

The judge said an “unfortunate combination of events” led to an “extraordinary bill."

He imposed a three-month suspended sentence and ordered Kelly to pay €2,000 in compensation within six months.

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme).