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An angry electrician smashed his own family home to bits with a sledgehammer after falling out with his brother over who had the right to live there.
Dad-of-six Tony McGuire, 49, battered the $500,000 semi — the subject of a family dispute — into pieces as his astonished neighbors looked on.
Police were called but were powerless to stop him destroying the privately-owned property, from which the family were due to be evicted, leaving it looking like a war zone.
Unrepentant Tony said afterwards: “I did what I had to do — this has been going on for seven years and I’ve had enough.”
Tony’s father Allan had owned the house in Manor Way, Cardiff, until his death in 2005.
Family man Tony later moved in with his wife Darriel, 50, and their six children — pouring their savings into building extensions and renovations.
But it emerged that his late father had left a will saying the property should be divided between Tony and his siblings Terry and Tina — causing a rift in the family.
When they failed to come to an agreement Tony took a sledgehammer to the four-bed house after being told he was to be evicted. He targeted the extensions and garage he built himself, spending $350,000.
Standing amid bricks, roofing tiles, glass and insulation Tony said: “Terry’s going to be quite bitter about what has happened because he will have lost money.
“He is not going to be calm at all. My sister is going to be livid as well. Seven years this has been going on.”
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