A LANDLORD has called for a teenager who smashed up his property to be put to work repairing the damage.

Yesterday, Lee Andrew Davis admitted smashing up his rented house in Darlington leaving his landlord with a £18,500 repair bill.


Footage of the damage to the house caused by the tennant

In August, The Northern Echo revealed the mess landlord Glenn Schofield discovered when Davis moved out of his property in Westbrook Terrace.

Davis, who now lives in Westray Court, Cumbernauld, near Glasgow, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court, in County Durham, yesterday accused of criminal damage.

The court heard that between August 9 and 12, the 18- year-old had intentionally or recklessly destroyed fixtures, fittings and furniture belonging to landlord Glenn Schofield.

Magistrates were told that Mr Schofield has already paid £2,000 to clear the house of filth and broken property.

Blair Martin, prosecuting, said: “This was damage to a rented property he was living in at the time. Damage was caused overnight, the value of that damage is quoted from insurance companies who value the repairs to be around £18,500. He basically trashed the house throughout.”

Magistrates agreed with Mr Martin that their powers may not be sufficient to deal with sentencing so declined jurisdiction.

The case was adjourned to Teesside Crown Court on November 17 and he was granted unconditional bail until that date.

Davis also admitted breaching a community order with six months supervision, which was made by the court on July 5, by failing to inform his offender manager of his new address.

The breach will be considered at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court, also on November 17. His presence at that hearing is excused as he will be at Teesside for sentencing.

Last night, Mr Schofield said: “I think he needs some pretty harsh punishment. It would be good to get him to clean up the house and sort out all the mess.

“It’s better than locking him up with some other criminals, make him do some proper hard graft.”

PC John Forster, who investigated the crime and traced Davis to his address in Scotland, said: “We’re very pleased as cross-border arrests are never easy and we’re happy that justice will be done and he’s ended up in court and will be punished for it.”