Man who damaged phone cables at 13 homes told to pay just £105

Christopher Bell, 37, damaged the cables at Southdown View, in Denmead, on June 2 last year.

He pleaded guilty to all the charges before Portsmouth magistrates.

Magistrates at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court sentenced him to a two-year conditional discharge.

He must pay a £20 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

Magistrates said his ‘serious offences’ inflicted ‘considerable impact’ but he had poor mental health at the time.

Bell’s guilty plea to all the charges was taken into account when he was sentenced.

He was not ordered to pay compensation for the criminal damage.