A HOMELESS drunk set out to smash police station windows so he could get a bed for the night.

Blackburn magistrates heard Joseph Doherty ended up breaking the wrong windows but got the result he desired.

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Doherty, 29, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property belonging to Northern Rail.

He was ordered to pay £500 compensation.

Scott Ainge, defending, said Doherty was seen shouting and swearing outside the railway station and threw a scaffold pipe at the police station. He then picked up a brick and threw it at a door. He repeated that action until he had smashed three panels.

“He was arrested and said he did it because he wanted somewhere to sleep,” said Mr Ainge. Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client had nowhere to stay on the night and had decided to try and get himself locked up. “He meant to damage police station property but mistakenly smashed windows belonging to the railway,” said Mr Taylor.

“He wasn't sober enough to go before the court the next day and as a result has spent three days in the cells.”