A MAN has appeared in court after ramming his van into a salon 20 times.

Shaun McCann was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen van which smashed into the front of The Hairdresser in Old Road, Clacton, on May 6.

The 57-year-old had admitted criminal damage and dangerous driving at a previous hearing and was due to be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court yesterday.

However Judge Jonathan Seeley raised concerns that McCann had told the probation service ahead of a pre-sentence report he had blacked out and had no recollection of the incident.

He instructed McCann’s representative to draw up a basis of plea which was not accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service as they believe McCann had targeted the shop deliberately because he had a grievance with an employee who he believed worked there.

Emma Nash, prosecuting said: “We would say it was a deliberate ramming and there was no loss of control.

“In fact, we would say quite the opposite - that it was a series of incidents and would not accept it was a coincidence.

“We would say it was a targeted repeated ramming of the shop.”

CCTV was shown to the court of a man - accepted to be McCann - driving a van into the front of the shop.

He then reverses and drives at it again smashing the front windows.

The driver then backs out and in again 20 times causing extensive damage.

A member of the public came to help McCann and police arrived shortly afterwards.

He was arrested after being checked over at hospital. There was no alcohol in his system at the time.

Judge Seeley ordered a Newton hearing for next month to decide whether McCann of Dedham Avenue, Clacton, drove into the store on purpose.

The case will be listed on Friday for the judge to ensure he is properly represented.