Daniel Neagu charged with criminal damage after five £800,000 houses are damaged in Buntingford

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A builder accused of using a digger to cause millions of pounds worth of damage to a row of newly built retirement homes has appeared in court.



Daniel Neagu, 30, was charged with criminal damage after five McCarthy and Stone homes worth approximately £800,000 each were allegedly wrecked in Buntingford, Hertfordshire.

Neagu, who had performed work for the firm, did not enter a plea during the hearing at Hatfield magistrates court, where he appeared via videolink from police cells on Monday.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The houses’ external walls were ripped out. Photograph: Herts police/PA

The homes had external walls torn out, leaving debris littering their gardens. A digger stood beside the damaged row of houses.

Hertfordshire police said officers arrested a man at the scene after being called at about 5.40pm on Saturday.

Neagu, who spoke in court only to give his particulars and state his desire not to enter a plea yet, was charged with one count of criminal damage.

The Romanian national, living in Harrow, north-west London, will appear for a plea hearing at St Albans crown court on 10 September.

Magistrates retired to decide whether to grant him bail.