A man has been fined after admitting damaging two cars and a van in Hitchin.

Joshua McDonald of Highover Way pleaded guilty to three counts of destroying and damaging property when appearing at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

McDonald was fined a total of £620 and ordered to pay compensation after a Ford Fiesta, a Peugeot 106, and a Peugeot van were damaged in Cooks Way, Hitchin, on April 20.

The 22-year-old was also ordered to pay a £100 fine for each vehicle he damaged, with £200 to be paid in compensation to the van owner John Fitzpatrick and a victim surcharge of £20.

The court heard compensation was not awarded to the owners of the two cars as one failed to provide a forwarding address, with the other not being able to be contacted by telephone.

McDonald had another seven counts dropped as the prosecutor declined to pursue the cases as the only direct evidence heard related to the three vehicles McDonald pleaded guilty to damaging.

Sentencing McDonald, chairman of the bench Brenda Bruce said: “This is a case where the damage done was not excessive, with a fine sufficient punishment.”

Craig Majlath, 23, from Norton Way North in Letchworth, had been charged with criminal damage to property valued under £5,000 but had his case dismissed as the expert witnesses did not attend court.