At our local football club, residents who live by the football ground have started letting tyres down of the vehicles of supporters who park in their street. After speaking to the Police apparently they have not broken the law. Is this correct?
I believe it is correct. It is not causing any damage to the vehicle, and so it cannot constitute criminal damage. The only other possibility I can think of would relate to the roadworthyness of the vehilce, and the risk of injury to the dirver/passengers if they drove off wtih flat tyres. This might give rise to an offence, but a notice on the windscreen "your tyres are flar" opught to solve that one too.
I would be interested in what anyone else thinks, as it is a point I have wondered about in the past. I asked a CPS solicitor, and he also thought it would not constitute a criminal offence.
Not saying it is right or not, but I used to live down the road from our local ground, on street parking was mainly all we had, and match days were a nightmare so I can understand why the people might do it.
Was more annoying that there was special parking provided nearby on matchdays, but it cost �2 so people would park down our street instead. On one occasion there were 2 cars on each side of a very small parking area, so people couldn't get in or out, a note was left on windscreen.
I would have thought criminal damage or even endangering life as the side wall of the tyre may sustain unseen damage which could cause it to fail at a later date and cause a fatel accident