A 29-YEAR-OLD man who damaged windows in an early hours rampage and caused himself serious injuries.

Blackburn magistrates heard Gareth James Howarth left a trail of blood from the scene of the incident in Sparth Road, Clayton-le-Moors.

And he collapsed in a pool of blood in front of a police officer who had to administer emergency first aid while they waited for the ambulance.

Gareth James Howarth, of Rutland Close, Clayton-le-Moors, was convicted after trial of damaging a kitchen window belonging to Alan Davies and a PVC conservatory panel belonging to Sharon Barnes. He was sentenced to eight weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, made subject to a curfew between 8 pm and 8 am for three months and ordered to pay £400 compensation.

Sentencing him District Judge Lewis Jones said he found the circumstances of the offence, which put Howarth in breach of a suspended prison sentence, peculiar.

"What is clear is that you broke the window and caused yourself serious injury," said District Judge Jones. "You have escaped prison today by the skin of your teeth and I want you to know this is the last chance you will get."

Enza Geldard, prosecuting, said police were called to a suspected break in at 2.15 am. An officer saw a male running towards him losing a large amount of blood from his arm.

"He collapsed in front of the officer who had to administer emergency first aid," said Mrs Geldard.

She said witnesses had been woken by loud banging and one of them saw Howarth standing by a window. She shouted at him to get out of the garden and he punched the window with his fist and his arm went through the glass.

"She called the police and then saw him standing on the fence before falling into another garden," said Mrs Geldard. "Another witness heard him shouting for help and saying he was stuck before falling from the fence."

Gareth Price, defending, said Howarth had claimed at his trial that he was being chased and had banged on the window to try and get help, not intending to damage it.

He said Howarth had mental health problems which went back to when he was a small child.

Since the incident Howarth had not been in any further troiuble and had been seeking assistance with his problems.

"He faces the very real prospect of a custodial sentence when, in all other areas of his life things are as good as they have ever been," said Mr Price.