A MAN has been found guilty of damaging several cars in Ramsbottom after being recognised on CCTV.

Daniel Noon, of St Edmund Hall Close, Ramsbottom, was convicted of causing criminal damage to nine cars on March 3 and 11 this year.

He had denied the charge, but found guilty last Thursday by Bury magistrates, who said he provided an “unlikely account” of his actions on those days.

Glenn Anderton, prosecuting, told the court police “clearly thought” Noon was responsible for scratching many more cars — but did not have the evidence to prove it.

And he claimed that Noon’s girlfriend’s car being scratched in Blackpool had caused him to target the vehicles.

Noon was charged with damaging a Mini Clubman, Nissan Micra, Seat Altea, Saab 93 and Toyota Previa in Paradise Street on March 3.

He also targeted a Renault Scenic, Jaguar XKR, Skoda Superb and Vauxhall Corsa near Tesco Metro on March 11.

Noon admitted he was a man shown on CCTV footage walking near the Saab 93 and Vauxhall Corsa.

But he told the court he was simply visiting Ramsbottom town centre and did not cause the damage.

But the court heard that police officers had watched hours of CCTV footage and no one else went close enough to the vehicles to damage them.

The 36-year-old was arrested when a police officer recognised him from the footage.

Tests found 56 paint flakes in his jacket pocket, 54 of which had a “clear resin layer” and were believed to come from at least 11 different cars.

Noon gave several explanations for the paint, including that he had worn the coat while doing DIY and carried model cars in his pocket.

James Daly, defending, said the police had not compared the fragments to the damaged cars.

Tests were carried out on a computer tracker, a small implement used in his job as a bus driver which Noon had with him when arrested. However, they did not identify if it caused the damage.

Mr Daly told magistrates there was no evidence to prove Noon had scratched the cars.

But they found him guilty and the case was adjourned until August 20 for sentencing.

Noon will also be sentenced for three charges of possessing extreme pornographic material, to which he had earlier pleaded guilty.