Man in court after damaging doors of Sunderland city centre building society

Robert McKegney, 40, failed to wrench them apart at the Nationwide’s branch in Market Square – but then inflicted criminal damage.

McKegney reached up and fiddled with wires above the entry point, snapping one.

His crime was not spotted by staff when they arrived for work at 8.30am on Friday, September 9, but police alerted them to McKegney’s arrest.

He has now been remanded into custody by a judge who heard he was on a suspended sentence when he committed the crime.

Prosecutor Jonathan Stirland said the outlet had been safely secured at end of business the previous evening and there was no clear sign of damage the next day.

He told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court: “An officer made a staff member aware that a male had tried to get in the night before.

“The employee has done a check and the door was working but there were some exposed wires, and one had been cut.

“He then checked the internal and external CCTV cameras which showed the defendant trying to pull back the sliding door.

“When that failed, he’s tried pulling the wires. After a few minutes, he fails to gain entry. He was soon after arrested.

“He made no comment in interview to any questions in relation to this offence, but he pleads guilty now at the first opportunity.”

McKegney pleaded guilty to an offence of causing criminal damage, with a charge of attempted burglary being dropped.

In May last year he was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for 13 months, suspended for two years, for an undisclosed offence, the court was told.

Peter Farrier, defending, said: “He’s in a bit of a pickle here. He’s been told that he doesn’t have the right to bail.

“He told me that he got off the bus in drink. He was leaning against a wall to relieve himself.

“He has reached up and pulled on the wires. It’s fickleness, aggravated by drink. He’s entered an immediate guilty plea.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield told McKegney it was his third breach of his suspended sentence – and remanded him into custody.

He will appear at the crown court for sentencing on Thursday, September 29.