A MAN has admitted taking part in smashing the windows of nine town centre business with a traffic cone during a 'rampage'.

Thomas Cottier Quayle Hircock, aged 25, appeared in Weymouth Magistrates Court on Wednesday, April 13.

Hircock, of Douglas Road, Weymouth, pleaded guilty to nine counts of criminal damage to the shop windows of nine different businesses on South Street in Dorchester on October 31 last year.

The businesses on South Street which had their shop glass damaged included Robert Dyas, Jojo Mama Bebe, Procook, WH Smith, Specsavers, Amplifon, Wise Owl Toy Shop, Central Stores and the Spar.

Prosecuting, Ben Worthington, said the incident involved another man and described it as a 'two-man crime wave'.

Mr Worthington said on October 31 police were called to an address where the two men were escorted and taken to Dorchester train station - from there he said the pair proceeded to 'go on a rampage'.

He said together the men 'put in' windows at a number of shops in Dorchester.

It was heard that the men used a traffic cone to smash a number of shop windows on South Street.

Mr Worthington said the damage 'must have caused a great deal of disruption' and 'cost a great deal of money' to the shop owners.

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The total value of the damage listed to all the shops amounts to a total of £8,067.

Hircock was said to have committed previous damage offences but it was heard that the last offence relating to causing damage was in 2018.

Mitigating, Fiona Larkin, said that Hircock 'can't remember' committing the offences and described him as a vulnerable adult who suffered with mental health issues and had mild learning difficulties.

She said: "He is trying to get his life together."

Chair of the bench, Sandra Wayman, adjourned the case until June 9 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.