Disliking the flat he was allocated by Foundation Housing, Craig Boyd set about wrecking and caused damage of almost £6,000, magistrates were told.

When questioned why he caused so much damage to the apartment in Highfield Terrace, Skipton, the 26-year-old said: “I didn’t like the flat from the second day and I lost it.”

Magistrates were also told how later he damaged the wing mirrors of cars parked in Highfield Terrace, leaving a repair bill amounting to £2,365.

They jailed Boyd, of Clitheroe Street, Skipton, for 18 weeks after he pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage at Highfield Terrace between February 14 and September 9 and three offences of criminal damage to cars on dates in April, May and June. He asked for 13 similar offences to be taken into account.

Inspections of the flat revealed all the inner doors ripped off their hinges, the bathroom window broken, the kitchen cupboard doors removed, radiators ripped off the wall, all the units in the kitchen smashed, the boiler dented beyond repair and the wall between the bedroom and kitchen kicked through.

Following the reports of damage to parked cars, police installed a covert camera which caught Boyd kicking and smashing the wing mirror of a car in Highfield Terrace.

Boyd was told that because of his prison sentence he would not have to pay compensation.