Ghost-hunter up in court for damaging ‘haunted’ hall

But sadly for Darren Brentnall the voices came from the other side of the magistrates bench, when he was arrested for breaking into a derelict building.

Brentnall, 30, of Beauvale Road, Hucknall, along with three friends, decided to go and search for spooks at Annesley Hall when he was arrested by police.

Brentall admitted damaging the property as he attempted to break down a wooden window board to get inside, after sitting with friends nearby and drinking alcohol.

Mansfield Magistrates Court heard today (August 26) how the four males had gone to the site on August 7, after watching popular ghost-hunting TV show ‘Most Haunted’, which featured the property.

Brentnall told the court he had researched Annesley Hall on the internet beforehand, as it had a “local reputation for being haunted”.

Prosecuting, Marjorie Kirkham-Smith, said: “Mr Brentnall had been to the property with his friends to go ghost hunting.

“They had wanted to sit down up there and have a drink.

“And Mr Brentnall wanted to enter the lodge to see if there were any ghosts inside.”

Brentnall then went on to break the wooden board on the window frame to try and get into the property.

But even after he successfully removed the piece of wood, the window was still blocked so they would not have been able to enter the hall.

The cash value of the damage is unknown.

The police were called after the four men were seen near the property, and the damage was discovered. .

Brentnall was given a conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £165 to the court.

This prosecution comes a week after the Dispatch reported that police were urging people to stay awa from the site due to the number of arrests from tresapassers.

Lead magistrate Elaine Konieczny said: “It was a very foolish incident and now a very expensive one as well.”