There is no dispute that Robert Tyrrell was reckless when he drove a JCB into his pub and wrecked it. But there was no point in prosecuting him twice for the same offence.

The Vale of White Horse district council wanted its pound of flesh by mounting a prosecution under the planning laws, but all it succeeded in doing was wasting taxpayers' money.

A district judge at Oxford magistrates court sensibly refused to proceed with the case.

At an earlier hearing at Oxford Crown Court, Tyrrell had been given community service and ordered to pay compensation for damaging property and endangering life. In addition, he is paying up to £70,000 to repair the damage he caused.

That surely is punishment enough.