A BRIDGEND man attempted to break into a pub to retrieve CCTV footage that had led to his brother’s arrest, Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard.
The court heard that Luke Davies, 37, tried unsuccessfully to kick down the front and rear doors before smashing the windows of the Coity Castle Inn in Bridgend to steal the footage.
Garth James, defending, told the court that on January 4, 2023, Davies had decided, under the influence of drink and drugs, to retrieve the footage which had been used to arrest his brother on an assault charge a few days earlier.
It was “a bizarre situation”, added Mr James.
Mr James said Davies, of Coity Road Bridgend threw a stone with “full force”, smashing a window. He removed shards before climbing through but still injured himself.
Mr James continued to say that police were called to the scene and following a search of Davies, he was found to be under the influence of alcohol and in possession of diazepam, a class C drug.
Davies pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal damage to property under £5,000, and possessing a Class C controlled drug.
He was 10 days shy of finishing his third community order when he smashed the Coity Road pub’s windows, the court heard.
As a result of the damage, a restraining order has been placed on Davies, stopping him from approaching Coity Castle Inn or contacting the landlady Helen Coombes. A compensation claim has been filed, the court was told.
The magistrate, Mr David Ford, told the defendant: “We do not want to see you coming back again to court time after time after time. It must stop.”
Davies is waiting to start a nine-month rehabilitation detox course in Scotland, the court was also told.
His case has been adjourned to February 15 as a drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme is decided by probation officers and he has been remanded on conditional bail
