A man who smashed a window at Frodsham's Best Western Forest Hills Hotel while drunk has been fined.

David Stephen Robinson, 35, of Adamson Close, Latchford, Warrington, broke two bones when he punched and broke through the window while he was staying at the hotel on the night of December 19 2020.

Yesterday (Tuesday), Chester Magistrates Court heard that Robinson had been drinking vodka with his partner before getting into an argument and smashing the window in annoyance.

The next morning, at around 8:30am, a member of hotel staff discovered the damage, which, the manager estimated, would take between £2,000 and £2,500 to repair.

Robinson admitted to smashing the window and agreed to pay for it, but then left the hotel without doing so, causing staff to alert the police.

Robinson, who has four previous convictions, pleaded guilty to criminal damage at the first opportunity and said he was sorry for what he had done.

Chair of magistrates, Andrew Merrill, said they found the £2,000 cost "a little excessive" and, in the absence of evidence to substantiate that cost, instead ordered Robinson to pay Forest Hills £650 in compensation.

Robinson was also fined £100, but, due to the compensation, was not required to pay court costs or a victim surcharge.