Cars vandalised with paint and tyres slashed in Banks Crescent, Stamford

A couple whose baby is due in just a few days’ time have had their car vandalised outside their home.

Ciarán Scott and Beth Osborne’s Volvo was sprayed with black paint and its tyres were slashed while it was parked on a drive in Banks Crescent, Stamford last night (Wednesday, December 20).

Their next door neighbour’s car, on a shared drive, was also sprayed and its tyres slashed.

Beth is eight-and-a-half months pregnant and Ciarán only passed his car driving test this week so he can drive Beth to hospital when their baby is due. He previously had a motorbike licence.

“I don’t know if we’ve been targeted or if it’s just random,” said Ciarán.

“I heard noises and loud banging outside between 11.30pm on Wednesday night and midnight but I thought it was the bins blowing over in the wind.”

This morning Ciarán discovered the damage and reported it to Lincolnshire Police.

Officers have been to investigate and are encouraging anyone with video footage or other evidence to get in touch.

Ciarán said: “We moved to Stamford a couple of years ago and we keep ourselves to ourselves.

“Our next door neighbour is a lovely woman - very kind and helpful - and I can’t imagine who would do this to us, or why.”

Ciarán and Beth’s first child is due on January 12.

“It’s an anxious time for us already, without this happening just before Christmas,” said Ciarán.

“If the person responsible knew our situation and the added anxiety it has caused, I hope they would have thought twice.”

Although their car is insured, charity worker Ciarán and scientist Beth, will have to pay the £250 insurance excess from savings they had hoped to spend on their baby, and will continue to have to pay higher premiums for six years as a result of the vandal’s actions.

They are keen for police to find the person or people responsible, so that the crime is not repeated elsewhere.

Ciarán has been knocking on neighbours’ doors to see if anyone saw anything, and has been on the lookout around the neighbourhood for more of the black spray paint, or a discarded canister.

He added that having spoken with people living nearby about what has happened, offers had been made to give the couple a lift to hospital if their baby comes early.

A spokesperson for Lincolnshire Police said anyone with information or video evidence should get in touch with them using the 101 service and referencing incident 188 of December 21.