A British national was arrested in Kampot town on Tuesday night after allegedly attacking a cash machine following what police said was a night of heavy drinking.

Paul Connor, 34, had visited an Acleda Bank ATM hoping to prolong his night on the tiles. But the machine had other ideas, eating his card and sending him into a rage.

Police were called by security guards who say they saw Connor punching the machine. “Authorities are preparing a lawsuit on charges of intentional vandalism,” Tep Neang, deputy provincial police chief, said yesterday.

Witnesses told police when the man’s card was not returned by the machine, it “irritated him very much”, causing him to lash out. Neang said that Connor was handed over to the provincial court.