A MAN fuelled by drink wrecked his girlfriend's furniture and was told by a judge that he seemed to make a habit of it.

Burnley Magistrates Court heard how Shaun Smith, 30, smashed her belongings three weeks after appearing in court for an identical offence. He caused a £300 trail of damage and then rang the police to hand himself in.

District Judge Paul Firth told the defendant, who had two previous convictions for damaging property, that in drink he seemed to make a habit of so doing.

Smith, of Olympia Street,.Burnley, admitted destroying or damaging property. He was given a two-year community rehabilitation order with the Addressing Substance Related Offending programme and must pay £60 costs. He was also bound over in the sum of £200 for the same period.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, told the court that Smith and his partner had been out for a drink. She said the defendant had had at least 15 pints of strong lager.

They returned to the woman's house where Smith became aggressive towards the complainant and threw her furniture around.

He picked up a magazine rack and threw it at the stereo system, slung tables at a mirror above the fireplace then phoned the police and said he was going to turn himself in.

Smith's girlfriend went upstairs and waited for officers to arrive and when they turned up, the defendant was aggressive towards them.

Dermot Woodhead, defending, said Smith regretted his conduct and had learned a painful and salutory lesson.

He was now reconciled with his girlfriend and the couple had been back together for some time.

Mr Woodhead said the defendant was the first to accept he had had a drink problem in the past and it was plain that still existed. Something needed to be done to ensure such a difficulty was not repeated.