A HUSBAND broke into his 'man shed' a week after he and his wife split up because he needed somewhere to sleep.

Blackburn magistrates heard Christopher Brown was drunk and his wife had been scared when she saw him in her garden.

Brown, 49, of Kirby Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to damaging a shed door belonging to Sharon Brown. He was made subject to a community order for 12 months with a 25 day rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £50 and ordered to pay £100 compensation and £85 costs. He was made subject to a restraining order for five years which prohibits him from having any contact with his wife.

Alex Mann, prosecuting said a few weeks before the incident the Mrs Brown had decided enough was enough because of her husband's drinking and ended the relationship.

"She has now taken over sole ownership of the property, including the shed," said Mrs Mann. "On the day of this incident she saw him outside her house and he was drunk. She was scared and she rang the police."

The court was told up until one week before the incident Brown had still been living at the house and had access to the shed which he had fixed up as a furnished residence.

He had been staying in a friend's caravan after the split with his wife but was asked to leave. He had been drinking on the day he turned up at his former home and broke into the shed.