Jon Wentworth, 54, appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court yesterday
and was bailed to return for a trial on February 12, next year.
The cameras enforce Transport for London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone, which charges the drivers of older vehicles £12.50 a day with a fine of up to £180.
Wentworth, of Downlink Avenue, Bexleyheath pleaded not guilty to one count of causing criminal damage to a camera in nearby Arbuthnot Lane on November 7.
Prosecutor Akram Ramna told the court the camera was fixed above a traffic light on the busy road and was damaged in the early hours.
“The Crown’s case is that police received a phone call from a home address on Arbuthnot Lane that they could see three males causing damage to a ULEZ camera.
“The caller said they were woken by a grinding noise of something being cut and saw one male standing outside their address as a lookout and there were sparks going everywhere.
“There were another two males on ladders who were able to evade the police officers, but one suspect was crossing the road with a ladder in his hands when he was stopped by the police.
“This was the defendant Mr Wentworth, who also had a pair of pliers in his back pocket and another pair of pliers were found at the scene.”
Wentworth’s lawyer Anna Jemmison said: “The defendant accepts being in the area, but not that he was one of the three men committing criminal damage or assisting or encouraging any other person to do so.
“There is no forensic evidence linking my client to the criminal damage.
“As far as possession of the ladder he was out walking and seeing it in the middle of the road was concerned for pedestrians and motorists and moved the ladder.
“He did have a tool on him. He is a locksmith and needed it for work that day.”
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