Drunken Plymouth student's £4,000 vandalism rampage at college

A DRUNKEN student caused a trail of destruction at his college which cost more than £4,000 to clear up, a court heard.

Louis Parsons, 18, smashed doors and a car with a bin and let off a fire extinguisher in a kitchen, Plymouth magistrates were told.

He broke into a drinks machine and even wrote a rude word in brown sauce on a table at City College Plymouth.

But Parsons could not remember why he went on the rampage after a night drinking, the court heard.

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Parsons, of Hawthorn Way, Higher Compton, admitted causing criminal damage to buildings which cost £2,515 to repair at City College Plymouth in Kings Road on August 25.

He also pleaded guilty to causing damage of £1,516 to a hired van parked outside the college during the same incident.

Magistrates gave him a 12-month community order with 80 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs but no compensation after the court heard he had no means.

Presiding magistrate Janice Hunt said: "This was an appalling case of criminal damage at an establishment which is helping you. I suggest you think long and hard about your drinking habits."

Gareth Warden, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said Parsons used a rubbish bin to smash the doors of the construction building at 6.30am.

He said he then used the bin to smash the windscreen of the Vauxhall van.

Mr Warden said he broke a window in the main building before going inside to start what the college called a "trail of destruction".

He added Parsons broke into a drinks machine and scattered the contents all over the floor.

The court heard the drinks could not be sold as they were contaminated with the defendant's blood.

Mr Warden said Parsons used brown sauce to write a rude word on a table and let off a C02 fire extinguisher in the kitchen. The room required specialist cleaning.

Ken Papenfus, for Parsons, said: "He has no recollection of why or how he got to the college. When he woke up later, he was vaguely aware that something had happened .

"Gradually, to his horror, it started to come back to him."

He added Parsons was in his third year studying carpentry at the college and was being allowed to finish his course.

Mr Papenfus said: "That is some reflection of what the college thinks of him."