DAVID Ben Johns was wearing the "wrong trousers" when he kicked a front door in the early hours of the morning, a court heard.

The black and white striped pants proved to be crucial to his conviction for an offence of criminal damage after police failed to hold an identification parade.

Blackburn magistrates heard that police had decided not to hold a parade because of Johns' distinctive appearance which would have meant the eight volunteers wearing hats pulled over their eyes and ears.

Johns, 22, of Young Street, Mill Hill, was convicted after a trial of damaging a door belonging to Lorna Bell.

He was also sentenced for an offence of threatening behaviour committed on a separate occasion and was fined a total of £700 with £100 compensation and £180 costs.

The court was told that identification was key to the case and the distinctive trousers and appearance, coupled to the short time that had elapsed before Johns' arrest, were critical.

Insepctor Stuart Coates told the court that he had decided against holding an identification parade. Johns has no hair on his head or eyebrows and Inspector Coates said it would not have been possible to get eight men of similar appearance. The owner of the house on Blackburn Road, Darwen, that he had attacked, told how she was woken in the early hours by a bang at the front door.

Lorna Bell said she was alone in the house at the time and when she looked out of the bedroom window and asked who it was she saw two men.

One of them was wearing black and white striped trousers, a white jacket and a baseball cap. She said that man, Johns, tried to kick the front door in and she phoned the police, who arrived within minutes.

By that time Johns had walked off up Preston Street, but the officers saw the man wearing the striped trousers enter a house.

They spoke to Mrs Bell before returning and arresting Johns, who was still wearing the trousers.

Mrs Bell's son, Gerald, gave evidence that earlier that night he had seen Johns in the Roxy nightclub and they had exchanged words.