![The Riverside sporting fields. Picture by Peter Hardin The Riverside sporting fields. Picture by Peter Hardin](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/afalkenmire/55d44b1f-d07d-4e21-8f0a-0986c67f266c.jpg/r0_0_6016_4011_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A TEENAGER was captured on CCTV causing $3000 worth of damage when he drove a car "erratically" on the playing surface of Tamworth sporting fields.
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Tamworth Local Court heard Jarele Cook was staring down a hefty compensation claim after Tamworth Regional Council had to foot the repair bill.
The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of intentionally or recklessly damaging property by driving a blue Ford Falcon sedan onto two Riverside sporting fields on the night of August 17, last year.
"It is something that obviously [goes] to the heart of the community," police prosecutor Sergeant Rob Baillie told the court.
He said Tamworth Regional Council was seeking up to $3000 to cover the cost of fixing the damaged playing surfaces.
"That's quite a substantial compensation claim for a young man," magistrate Julie Soars said.
"Presumably, it was following some rain."
Legal Aid defence solicitor Leen Abdelhamid told the court Cook was only 18 years old at the time of the offending, and was remorseful.
She said he was about to start good work in the community with Aboriginal children.
Ms Soars read a report detailing the background of the offending, which indicated Cook had said he wished he'd never done it.
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She put off sentencing Cook, and dealing with the compensation claim, for two months so that he could prove he could keep out of trouble and show some positive progress in the community.
The matter was adjourned to Tamworth Local Court in May.
Cook, a P-plater, was charged at Tamworth Police Station in October, last year, after an investigation into the vandalism at the Riverside sporting fields, off Plain and Bridge streets.
Tamworth Regional Council CCTV cameras captured the blue Ford Falcon sedan, as well as a brown Nissan Z50 SUV, drive onto the playing fields about 9.31pm.
"They are seen driving erratically, with both drivers causing a sustained loss of traction to their respective vehicles," the police facts said.
"This has caused damage to the playing surface, which has to be repaired by [Tamworth Regional Council] at a cost to them."
Both cars drove off via Ebsworth Street about seven minutes later.
"These vehicles were involved in malicious damage to property at the riverside sporting complex, Tamworth," the police facts said.
Police launched an investigation after being made aware of the damage.
Photos and CCTV were handed over, and a statement was obtained from council.
The police case is that Cook was the man behind the wheel of the blue Ford Falcon.
The offending came at a time police and council were cracking down on sporting field vandalism, after donut-shaped tyre marks were discovered on the playing surfaces multiple times after rain last year.
Cook is not accused of any further wrongdoing.
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