A MAN who trashed his ex-girlfriend's home in the early hours and threatened to kill her has been sentenced at York Crown Court.

George Thomas Mason, 19, was drunk and topless as he shouted at the neighbours who had been woken by his antics at 2am on June 6, said Rob Galley, prosecuting.

He head-butted the front door, smashed an interior door and a television and threw furniture about. When police caught him near the house in Chapelfields Road, Acomb, he threatened to kill his estranged girlfriend.

"It's amazing what alcohol can do to you," he told officers after sobering up.

He had previously caused £2,000 damage to his girlfriend's grandfather's car when it was parked outside her house.

On that occasion, two weeks earlier, he had been so aggressive inside the house that he had been asked to leave by the grandfather, swore at him and on leaving kicked his Ford C Max several times.

Mason, of Dane Avenue, Acomb, pleaded guilty to three charges of criminal damage and a public order offence.

He was given a community order with 60 hours' unpaid work. He had no previous convictions.

His solicitor advocate Kristian Cavanagh said being arrested, locked in a cell and put through the court system had had a salutary effect on him and he didn't want to repeat the experience.

Recorder Paul Miller told Mason: "It is likely you have learnt your lesson ....there will literally be a price to pay for this because of the courts charge."

He ordered Mason to pay £1,120 including a £900 courts charge, a £60 statutory charge, £85 prosecution costs, and £75 compensation for the grandfather. Both the courts and statutory charges are mandatory for all convicted defendants.

Mr Cavanagh said Mason had £150 take-home pay a week and could only afford to pay £10 a week after paying his living costs.

He had offered his guilty pleas at an earlier hearing before the magistrates.

Magistrates had sent the case to the crown court because the prosecution had at that stage wanted to try him for burglary, a charge it later dropped.

Had the case stayed at the magistrates court, the courts charge would have been £150.