A VANDAL who caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to a home has avoided being sent straight to prison.

William Morris entered a guilty plea to one count of failing to provide a specimen as a person in charge of a vehicle and one count of causing criminal damage to magistrates in January.

The court heard from prosecutor Tom Wickstead that Morris had been required to provide a specimen of breath for analysis when suspected of having been in charge of a vehicle and during the course of an investigation into whether he had committed an offence in Hereford on December 31.

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But the 27-year-old, who was represented at the hearing by defence solicitor Mark Turnbull, had failed without reasonable excuse to do so, magistrates in Worcester were told.

He had also intentionally or recklessly damaged fence panels, downpipe, guttering, roof tiles, a fascia, snow fencing, pipe, and a Velux window belonging to a woman in Evesham on August 24, magistrates heard.

Magistrates said the vehicle offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence could be justified due to the high degree of culpability, his driving record, and his behaviour in the police station, but that his sentence would be suspended as he is employed and has a young family.

Morris, of Four Acres, South Cerney, was handed a four-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and received 10 penalty points on his licence.

He also received a 12-month community order with 120 hours of unpaid work for the criminal damage offence and was ordered to pay compensation of £4,000 to the criminal damage victim.

No order was made for prosecution costs or a victim surcharge to be paid to allow compensation to take priority.