An Evri delivery driver who was caught lying about scratching a company director’s Tesla by the car’s camera has been ordered to pay £2,000.

Michael Owden, 66, was reversing his delivery van in a car park when he accidentally hit Joel Becker’s electric car parked outside his flat in Dorset.

There was no one around who had witnessed it but the 66-year-old driver was caught getting out of his van and rubbing his hand on the parked car’s rear before driving away from the scene.

He did so without trying to leave a note or finding the owner of the car. 

When IT firm director Mr Becker came outside to charge his car, he spotted the six inch long scratch.

Teslas are fitted with sensor cameras that activate when something or someone moves near the car.

Fuming, he then checked CCTV footage which showed the driver was the only person who had moved near the car. 

However when he was later confronted with the evidence Mr Owden denied any blame, claiming that he had got out of the van to pick up a can of Coke, noticed the scratch and tried to rub it off as a good deed.

There was no one around who had witnessed it but the 66-year-old driver was caught getting out of his van and rubbing his hand on the parked car’s rear before driving away from the scene

Fuming, he then checked CCTV footage which showed the driver was the only person who had moved near the car. PIctured: CCTV showing the driver returning to his van

He was charged with causing criminal damage and a trial at Poole Magistrates’ Court had to be held into the trivial matter when he denied it.

However, District judge Michael Snow found Mr Owden guilty, saying his explanation was hard to believe.

He said: ‘He [Mr Owden] is such a public-spirited person he must be travelling around the country cleaning cars left, right and centre. But of course that is not what he was doing.’

Mr Owden was ordered to pay almost £1,400 in compensation to Mr Becker, a managing director of a London-based IT company, and £625 court costs.

The court heard the incident happened outside Mr Becker’s seaside flat in Boscombe, Bournemouth, on December 15, 2023.

Mr Owden was reversing his delivery van in the car park when the prang happened.

Charles Nightingale, prosecuting, said on Mr Becker’s behalf: ‘On December 15 I was outside Keverstone Court where I owned a flat and had parked in an allocated spot.

‘The car was unmarked at the time and I had owned it for about two-and-a-half years.

However when he was later confronted with the evidence Mr Owden denied any blame 

When IT firm director Joel Becker, pictured, came outside to charge his car, he spotted the six inch long scratch

Michael McGhie, defending the driver, said: ‘My client is adamant that he is not responsible for causing the scratch and did not cause any damage to the vehicle at all.’

‘I was there to check up on the flat as the owner and to go the AGM. I was there from around 10:10am to 11:50am.

‘There was a van parked in the neighbouring space.

‘The van had left when I got back though and I didn’t see a scratch.

‘I then drove it probably about five minutes to a charging point and the scratch was by the charging point and I noticed it straight away.

‘The scratch is on the rear panel. I had driven all the way down there from Chesham with my wife. It’s probably about 100 miles.’

Michael McGhie, defending the driver, said: ‘My client is adamant that he is not responsible for causing the scratch and did not cause any damage to the vehicle at all.’

Mr Owden said in his defence: ‘The previous evening I dropped a Coke can and it fell under the van so the next morning I stopped the van to pick up the can.

‘I left the key in the ignition and the engine running. I must have noticed the scratch on the Tesla as I went past it.

The court heard the incident happened outside Mr Becker’s seaside flat in Boscombe, Bournemouth, on December 15, 2023.

‘I like expensive cars so I would have just had some sympathy.

‘I noticed the scratch on the side of the car and thought it was fluff. I went to brush it and then I left and picked up the can and got back in my van and off I went.

‘The scratch showed the undercoat which was white. It is a nice car but it is just a car.

‘In hindsight I really should not have touched the car. It is not my property and I had nothing to do with it. I was a bit stupid to even show a bit of concern.’

In finding Mr Owden guilty Judge Snow said: ‘The problem is that Mr Becker provided an impressive set of evidence.

‘During the one hour and forty minutes you were the only person to go near the vehicle. It is quite clear to me that you were responsible for the damage.

‘Mr Owden thought he would clean the scratch away. He is such a public spirited person he must be travelling around the country cleaning cars left, right and centre. But of course that is not what he was doing.

‘I have no doubt that you were the one who scratched the vehicle and therefore I find you guilty.’

Mr Owden worked in sales management for IBM before becoming an Evri driver. He has since retired.