A MAN has been handed a suspended jail term following a spree of offences, which saw hundreds of pounds worth of damage caused to a supermarket and pub.

Dale Smith, 30, was under the influence of alcohol when he damaged the sliding doors at Tesco in Whitehaven and a few weeks later, caused damage to a sign at the Tavern pub, Workington Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Pamela Fee said the first set of offences took place over three days. Just before midnight on November 5, Smith went to Tesco in Whitehaven but the store was closed while work was being carried out.

Smith had gone inside and was trying to remove alcohol from the store. He then kicked the external sliding doors multiple times, causing them to break. He was identified from the CCTV footage.

A police officer who was dealing with an unrelated incident later saw Smith and recognised him from the CCTV footage. The officer arrested Smith but he resisted. He had to be placed on the floor and incapacitant spray was used. He said he would fight the officers.

During police interview, Smith accepted he had resisted arrest. He said he had gone to buy some alcohol from the self-checkout in Tesco but a workman took it off him. He said he kicked the door in anger.

He was charged with two offences on November 7 and then just hours later, committed a further offence in Whitehaven Morrisons. He stole a crate of Fosters lager worth £16.

Smith committed further offences on November 24. He was ‘intoxicated’ in The Tavern pub in Whitehaven and was starting to cause issues. He was asked to leave. He had to be physically removed from the pub and then kicked a sign outside, causing damage to it.

Police located him on Tangier Street and he started to violently pull away from the officers. He was kicking out and leg restraints had to be applied.

Smith pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal damage, two charges of resisting a police officer in execution of duty and one charge of theft from a shop.

Claire Kirkpatrick, defending, said: “He recognises this is committed because of alcohol use. It’s causing ongoing difficulties. He’s homeless. He’s sofa surfing.

“He’s got a number of low level offences.

“He does wish to apologise. He said it’s all stupidity when he’s under the influence.”

Magistrates imposed a four-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Smith, of Bowness Road, Whitehaven, was ordered to pay £575 in compensation to Tesco, £100 in compensation to The Tavern and £16 in compensation to Morrisons.