Three men who smashed the windows of nearly 50 cars during a damage spree in Trowbridge avoided jail yesterday but were each sentenced to 300 hours unpaid work and made to pay £295 compensation.

Ricky Lewis, 20, of Hawkeridge near Westbury, Liam Ballinger, 19, of Charlotte Square, Trowbridge and Nathan Ringe, of Avenue Road, Trowbridge, 18, along with a 17-year-old youth who can’t be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage.

Magistrates in Chippenham heard that on the evenings of March 1 and March 4 the men, using a metal pole, smashed cars in Trowbridge, Bradford on Avon and Holt.

They were charged with three counts of criminal damage but asked for a further 45 counts to be taken into consideration by the court.

Kate Blackmore, prosecuting, said police received numerous reports of smashed windscreens.

She said: “In the early hours of March 4 members of the public started calling the police reporting car damage. "

She added that the men drove through neighbourhoods smashing cars with a metal pole.

Andrew Watts-Jones, defending the driver, Lewis, said his client had been stupid.

He said: “It was a stupid thing to do.

“They were bored, somehow the idea of smashing car windscreens had come up.

“My client drove the car and the others took it in turns to smash the windows.

“In hindsight he admits it was very dumb and he is very sorry.”

He added that up to this point his client had a clean record.

Edward Moore, defending Ballinger said: “This is something he wishes didn’t happen and admits responsibility.

“Mr Ballinger has not had the easiest of upbringings but is said to be doing well since leaving foster care.

“He admits his future life cannot involve such criminal activity again.”

Ringe was represented by Stephen Clifford, who said: “My client maintains that he sat in the rear of the vehicle but he acknowledges he should have left the car.

“He admits to being jointly responsible.”

He added that in a written statement Ringe said: “I feel sorry for what we have done.”

Sentencing the men to a 12-month community order, totalling 300 hours unpaid work, magistrate Paul Wiltshire said he couldn’t understand why they had done it.

He said: “We were quite amazed how people of your background would want do this.

“It beggars belief the amount of damage and inconvenience you have caused to so many people.

“This is probably the most stupid thing you have done in your lives.

“This was a sustained attack, in a number of locations and required a certain amount of planning.”

He added: “We have taken into account your guilty plea, the fact you have cooperated with the police and that you have shown remorse.”

The men were each sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work and required to pay £295 compensation.

Christine Shaw, 52, of Dursley Road, Trowbridge, whose car was vandalised in the smashing spree said she wasn’t satisfied with the sentence.

She said: “It leaves me speechless really.

“We should bring back corporal punishment.

“I don’t think sitting around drinking coffee is going to be much of a punishment.

“Community service isn’t a deterrent.

“It was a company car that was smashed and it’s a shame my employer can’t put in a claim.”