A MAN who had been out drinking in Sutton in Craven damaged the electrics of a vehicle after becoming confused and thinking he was a mechanic going to work, a court heard.

The incident occurred on February 22 this year when Darren Brolly, 36, was walking along Main Street.

Skipton magistrates were told that Brolly, of North Avenue, Bradford, had attended a pub in Sutton in Craven and at around 2.40am CCTV had shown him at the premises of Ray Mulloy Ltd vehicle repair shop.

There he admitted a charge of criminal damage after trying to start a vehicle on the forecourt with jump leads but had not used them correctly and ended up causing £400 of damage to the electrics.

He said he had been taking medication with alcohol and was confused.

Duty solicitor Keith Blackwell said Brolly had been taking medication for mental health problems and had drunk far too much alcohol which had conflicted with the medication.

Mr Blackwell said Brolly had done some mechanic work in the past and as he walked past the garage had got it into his mind that he was going to work and started 'fiddling about with the cars' on the forecourt.

"He was not trying to steal them and had handed himself into the police," said Mr Blackwell.

Mr Blackwell said he apologises profusely to the garage owner and was not drinking at the moment.

Magistrates ordered a standalone compensation order of £400 be paid to the garage owner as a penalty to be paid by September 23.