A DRUNK man who smashed the window of a takeaway in Oswestry was found with a trail of blood leading back to the scene of the offence.

Lenny Lawler, 19, formerly of Park Avenue in Oswestry, appeared at Telford Magistrate's Court on Tuesday and pleaded guilty to criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.

But he said he didn't remember why the incident had happened, and admitted the offence only when he was presented with CCTV footage.

The court was told that on Sunday, March 20 this year, Lawler smashed a window in the store front at the The Lucky Star Chinese takeaway in Oswald Road, causing more than £1,100 in damage.

Magistrates heard that police were called to a kebab shop after reports of an assault, and Lawler was found in a bloodied state with a trail of blood leading back to the Lucky Star.

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Police followed the trail back to the Chinese takeaway, belonging to Chuen Sing Lee, where CCTV footage of the attack of obtained and Lawler was identified.

The prosecution told Magistrates that Lawler was then arrested but gave a no comment interview, and that compensation was needed to pay for the boarding up, and subsequent replacement, of the shop window.

The court was also told that by carrying out the offence, Lawler was in breach of a conditional discharge for a previous racially aggravated incident.

Jamie Wade, defending, told the court that his client could not recall the incident, but pleaded guilty on the basis of the evidence presented to him, including the CCTV footage and the trail of blood.

Mr Wade also argued that he had not breached a restraining order included within the conditional discharge and that it had two months to run.

Magistrates informed Lawler that they will take no action in terms of the breach of the conditional discharge but fined him £125 – reduced to £83 because of an early plea – and ordered to pay £1,122 in compensation to Mr Lee.

Compensation was prioritised over courts costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £35, which were not applied.