A WINCHESTER man has avoided jail after breaking into a not-for-profit cafe three times in a month, costing its owners nearly £30,000.

Adam Clarke, of Chapel Fields, Easton, ransacked Loomies in West Meon, stealing hundreds of pounds in staff tips to pay off a drug debt, a court heard.

The 29-year-old was given a two-year suspended sentence after the judge heard how he had met the owners to apologise and started work to repair his damage.

Prosecutor Tom Horder told Winchester Crown Court how Clarke broke into the bikers' cafe on July 5, 14 and 26, using a bucket full of sand, breezeblock and paving slab to smash windows.

His crimes cost the not-for-profit £28,352 in lost revenue, repairs and new security measures, the court heard. Clarke was caught on the third burglary after a co-owner installed CCTV which broadcast directly to his mobile phone.

Mr Horder said he broke into safes, forced entry into the stock room and stole a laptop containing the firm's accounts and stock information.

The court heard William Bainborough and Paul Fullick revived the remote cafe last year after it went out of business, preventing what they said in a statement would have been the "end of an era" for customers.

In a submission to the court they said the thefts had damaged staff morale and threatened the firm's survival through winter.

But they asked the judge to spare Clarke jail after he wrote to Mr Bainborough apologising. The three now have an "affable relationship" and are working together to improve the cafe, said Lance Whiteford, mitigating.

Mr Whiteford said Clarke got into trouble with cocaine dealers but had been clean for two years "Previous offences for similar matters, they arise out of the same drug debt," he said.

"He didn't go to his dad and say 'dad I've got myself into this mess, can you help me out?' because like many young people, he was too damn proud and too afraid to ask for help, so he carried out offences. But that didn't mean the problem went away.

"He knows that what he did was mean, was nasty, and has caused a lot of distress."

Recorder Richard Powell handed down a two-year suspended sentence with rehabilitation sessions and 160 hours unpaid work, ordering Clarke to repay £2,000 over the next year.

(Photo by Steve Parker)