A Stevenage man has been handed a 12-month community sentence and must complete 180 hours of unpaid work after he damaged a giraffe mascot at the town’s Toys R Us store.

Stevenage Magistrates’ Court heard today that Benjamin Webb, of Shephall Way, had ‘without lawful excuse damaged Geoffrey the Giant Giraffe’ on March 29 while stealing video game items.

The 32-year-old also damaged an alarm barrier.

He was ordered to pay compensation of £34.99 to Toys R Us, as well as a victim surcharge of £60 and £85 in costs – £179.99 in all.

Webb was appearing at the court for the second time in just seven days – on Wednesday last week he was ordered to pay £225 after he admited stealing and then breaking a bottle of Jack Daniels at a Stevenage Asda.

On that occasion he was fined £100 and ordered to pay £25 in compensation, a £20 victim surcharge and £80 in costs.