A MAN who was involved in two separate drunken incidents has been jailed for 38 weeks.

Blackburn magistrates heard on the first occasion Vincent Ralph Cook damaged a car with a piece of wood and then threw a brick through a car window.

During the second incident he stole a taxi driver’s communication equipment and then made off without paying the £40 fare.

Cook, 37, of Spring Street, Rishton, pleaded guilty to two charges of criminal damage, theft of a personal digital assistant (PDA) worth £200 belonging to Intack Taxis and making off without payment. He was sentenced to a total of 38 weeks.

Alex Mann, prosecuting, said the criminal damage offences had been committed in the early hours of the morning.

A woman woken by the sound of banging looked out of the window to see Cook kicking her car.

“She opened the window and told him to stop and he said she had crashed into the back of his car,” said Mrs Mann. “That hadn’t happened and he didn’t even have a car.”

Mrs Mann said three men approached and they had an altercation with Cook before driving off in the other car.

“He went and got a piece of wood from a garden and used it to smash the window of her car,” said Mrs Mann.

“As he left he picked up a brick and threw it through a neighbour’s window.”

Mrs Mann said Cook and another man had got in a taxi about 8.30pm.

“When they got to their destination they became aggressive and said they had no money to pay,” said Mrs Mann.

“Cook grabbed the PDA before they both ran off.”

Mrs Mann said all the offences were committed against people who had done him no harm whatsoever.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said his client had very little recollection of the criminal damage and believed somebody had put something in his drink.

He said the incident with the taxi driver started with a dispute over the fare.

“He says the driver drove off with his friend locked in the car,” said Mr Taylor.

“They returned and he accepts that when the PDA fell out of the car he picked it up and ran off. He knew it would inconvenience the driver.”