Man smashed £1,000 police station door in South Shields so he could be jailed

Jamie Donaldson, 35, is starting a total of 22 weeks behind bars for his vandalism at Millbank station in South Shields and another crime.

It was the sixth time this year the homeless offender had caused criminal damage in a bid to get a roof over his head, the borough’s magistrates’ court heard.

But his latest arrest, on Saturday, November 9, came with an unexpected twist, prosecutor Paul Anderson said.

Donaldson was found in possession of a stolen mobile phone when its owner used an app to locate its whereabouts.

To his amazement, the phone pinged as being at the police station and he concluded it must have been handed in by a do-gooder.

In fact, it was only pinpointed when officers – contacted by him – rummaged through Donaldson’s possessions.

District Judge Zoe Passfield jailed Donaldson for 10 weeks for causing criminal damage and to 12 weeks for handling stolen goods, to run consecutively.

She told him: “This is the sixth time this year you’ve been to court for criminal damage.

“Every one I’ve dealt with has been done to get back to prison.”

Mr Anderson told the hearing: “The mobile phone was left by a gentleman who was working at a dwelling house on November 8.

“He put his phone down and eventually realised that it was missing. He used the Find My Phone app, which showed it was at South Shields police station.

“It was somewhat of a surprise. When he rang the station, it was found in the defendant’s possessions.”

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Of the criminal damage, he added: “It’s all too familiar. Police are called to the front of Millbank police station.

“Mr Donaldson is sitting outside the door. A door is broken and smashed, and there are various cracks in the glass.

“He got up and said. ‘I want to go back to prison. I just got out of prison, and I want to go back’. It’s a means to an end to get back to prison.”

Donaldson pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage and handling stolen goods.

David Forrester, defending, said: “It’s the sixth or seventh time he’s behaved in exactly this same way.

“He’s a paranoid schizophrenic. He’s making what he sees as being rational decisions. To us, it’s bewildering.”

Donaldson must pay Northumbria Police £100 compensation.