A WORCESTER tenant smashed the glass out of a fire door with his crash helmet after being locked out of an electricity meter cupboard.

Peter Jenner was convicted of causing criminal damage outside his housing scheme manager's ground floor flat at Nightingale House in Stanley Road.

He had denied the charge.

The manager, David Blewitt, told Droitwich magistrates yesterday that 40-year-old Jenner, who lives on the third floor, came to his flat to ask for a key to the meter in an "annoyed" mood, on Wednesday, February 14 around 5.25pm.

Mr Blewitt said when he could not find one, he came out of the flat to tell Jenner.

"I heard a big bang and then saw the glass had been smashed," he said.

But Abigail Gold, defending, asked if it could have been another tenant.

Caretaker Christine Lakey said she saw Jenner as she came through the main doors at 5.25pm coming away from Mr Blewitt's flat and taking the stairs "two at a time", putting his helmet on or taking it off.

Mr Blewitt then informed her Mr Jenner had smashed the pane.

But Miss Gold disputed Mrs Lakey's claims, saying Jenner had leg injuries which meant walking up stairs caused him great difficulty.

She also pointed out he was left-handed, despite claims Jenner smashed the pane with his right.

Forensic tests on the helmet were inconclusive.

Jenner, who has psychiatric problems, said he had been frustrated when he went to see Mr Blewitt for a key but claimed he pushed the door with his foot.

"I don't like touching communal areas with my hands as there are people in the house with hepatitis and Aids," he said.

But magistrates concluded Mr Blewitt and Mrs Lakey were independent witnesses with no reason to deceive the court and Mr Blewitt was not mistaken in what he saw.

Jenner was fined £100 and he was ordered to pay £70 compensation and £100 costs.