A thousand pounds worth of damage was caused to a school’s sports hall when it was targeted by a prolific burglar, a court has heard.

Michel John Joseph Valmont, of Hill Street, Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to burglary when he appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court via video link on Tuesday, October 15.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, said the school caretaker found entry had been forced to Haverfordwest High School’s community sports hall on August 19.

“A payphone had been ripped off the wall, a confectionary machine had been opened and a cash box was on the floor. There was £1,000 of damage.”

Valmont’s blood was found at the scene, but he initially denied the offence.

The court heard that Valmont, 42, had 78 previous convictions, including similar offences.

Mark Layton, defending, said: “At first blush it is an appalling record with a number of burglary offences against him.”

He added that Valmont’s last burglary conviction was in 2014, and his offending rate had slowed considerably.

Mr Layton told the court Valmont had been ‘plagued by a heroin addiction’, which resulted in him nearly losing a leg.

“He says at the time he committed the offence he did briefly relapse into heroin use.”

Magistrates sentenced Valmont to 20 weeks in prison and ordered him to pay Pembrokeshire County Council £1,000 for the damage caused, plus £207 in costs and a surcharge.

The chairman of the bench said: “We regard this offence as being at a targeted premises with substantial loss to the injured party.”