FEARFUL that he was in danger from a group of travellers, a man damaged a door at Bridgwater police station so he could get himself into a safe space.

Steven Penny had been sleeping rough outside the police station for several days after receiving threats from a local traveller community to harm him.

On the night in question, he went into the foyer while the shutters were down and damaged a sensor above the first door in order that it could not be opened.

The following morning, he told the police he had mended the door and that it worked properly again.

Penny, 52, of Avenue Road, Solihull, pleaded guilty to causing £125 worth of damage to a door sensor on July 15 when he was brought before District Judge Angela Brereton in custody.

He also admitted being in breach of a conditional discharge imposed for a previous offence.

Prosecutor Miss Morgan said staff at Bridgwater police station noticed that a door sensor had been broken and when CCTV was viewed it showed the defendant using a blue crate to intentionally cause damage to it.

Sam White, defending, said there was a dispute between Penny and a traveller community which had result in “some characters” putting out a request to harm Penny.

“He felt very fearful for his safety and that was why he had been sleeping outside the police station in case anything happened,” he said.

“He went into the foyer at 3am to enter the police station and damaged the sensor above the first door in order that the door would not open so he was in a safe space for himself.”

After hearing that Penny had spent a night in police custody the district judge ordered him to pay £125 compensation for the damage but did not impose any costs.

No action was taken on the breach of conditional discharge.