VANDALS have been sent a “clear warning” that they will be found and punished for committing offences, after a man was jailed for causing over £10,000 of damage in Burnham.

Burnham Cllr Louise Parkin issued the warning on hearing that a 21-year-old had been jailed for 12 months after causing mindless damage at Marine Cove Gardens back in 2013.

Residents and authorities were left horrified by the incident which saw the gardens on the Esplanade trashed, with stone flag paving torn up, the centrepiece cherub in the formal pool toppled and a Windsor Heritage lantern shattered on standing light column.

There was also damage to two light columns which were toppled, two timber benches ripped from ground fixings and thrown in the formal pool n continued on Page 2 and the Sundial toppled and the dial removed from its plinth.

Sedgemoor District Council was recently informed that Burnham man Jesse Thorne of Charleston Road, or Millard Court, had been handed a 12 month prison sentence at Taunton Crown Court in March after pleading guilty to criminal damage.

Cllr Parkin said: “It’s good news that someone has been convicted of this offence and I hope it sends a clear warning to anyone else that if they cause damage, they will be found and they will be punished.

“I just don’t understand why anyone would do something so appalling, the gardens were completely trashed, it was hideous, especially as they had just been done up.

“Let’s hops it deters him and anyone else.”

Burnham Mayor cllr Michael Clarke added: “Things like this happen it has a bad effect on the town, and I feel particularly sorry for all the people that give their time and effort to make the Marine Cove what it is, it is a relief that justice has been done.”

Sedgemoor District Council funded the repairs to the damage, which took months to repair due to some of the specialist nature of the damaged items.

A spokesperson for Sedgemoor District Council said: “We would like to thank Avon and Somerset Police for their diligence with the case and bringing the culprit to justice.

“We would also like to make special mention of the Sedgemoor District Council CCTV staff who on the night of the incident used CCTV to record the vandalism, alert police and then track the offender as he left the scene.

“This evidence and support to the police proved invaluable on the night of the event and during the prosecution process and has resulted in a successful conviction.”