A MAN who unwittingly took diazepam while looking for painkillers for a groin injury stole mail from a shed and scratched a Land Rover car.

James Francis Spence left a 16 inch scratch on a Land Rover Defender in the Eastlea Avenue area of Bishop Auckland, causing £300 worth of damage, before breaking into a shed and stealing three items of mail.

Magistrates in Newton Aycliffe heard the 50-year-old, of Taylor Road, Bishop Auckland, could not remember the incident, which happened at 7am on November 20, as he had been drinking and was given diazepam by a friend for an ‘excruciating pain’ in his groin.

Spence, who is on a methadone programme following a decades-old heroin addiction, admitted burglary and criminal damage at an earlier hearing and returned to court today (Tuesday, December 2) for sentencing.

Gwen Burnett, mitigating, said: “The groin injury is quite severe. He said the pain was excruciating and he very much regrets the offence and would like to apologise to the court.”

Magistrates gave Spence a 12-month community order with supervision and ordered him to complete a thinking skills programme.

He must also pay £400 in compensation.