A TEENAGER who broke a mirrored wardrobe door then damaged the family home front door when he was refused back in has been ordered to pay compensation.

Liam Skinner of Thursday Street pleaded guilty to one charge of criminal damage dating from May 1 when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Vyvyan Thatcher, on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service, told District Judge Simon Cooper that the offence had been committed in a domestic setting and involved members of the family. “In the course of that argument they hear a very loud bang followed by the sound of breaking glass,” he said. “They go and investigate and when they get there they find the glass door of the wardrobe has been broken, rendered completely useless.”

After leaving the property the 19-year-old returned and demanded to be let in, banging on the front door while on the phone to his mother, who refused to let him back in.

Representing himself in court he said he had an argument with a family member which had got out of hand. “It’s behaviour that is not really like me, I just flipped,” he said. “I am aware it can’t happen again. Normally I would put have my music in and I wouldn’t care – I would go and do my thing.”

Sentencing him, District Judge Cooper ordered that he should pay £300 compensation for the cost of the wardrobe door and an additional £100 to cover the damage to the front door. He imposed a conditional discharge for six months.