A MAN who caused criminal damage to a police station and vehicles during a nine-hour stand off at College Street station has been jailed for 26 weeks.

Christopher Griffiths, 28, of Morgan Street, Parr was sentenced at Liverpool Magistrates' Court last Friday (October 13).

Griffiths pleaded guilty to four charges, including two counts of criminal damage.

These include causing significant damage to the College Street police station building and vehicles last Tuesday (October 10) valued at more than £5,000.

Two days later he also inflicted damage to a police custody suite at Copy Lane station in Bootle.

Griffiths also admitted to assaulting a police constable and using abusive and threatening words and behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

At around 11.30pm on Monday, October 9 police were made aware of a man on the roof of St Helens Police Station on College Street.

Griffiths was reported as throwing items from the roof, causing damage to the building and vehicles.

Graffiti, containing foul language was scrawled on the station and chants, containing obscenities, could also be heard.

Officers set up a cordon between College Street and Central Street during the nine-hour stand off and the fire service also attended to assist.

A force negotiator also assisted and Griffiths was detained at around 9am on Tuesday (October 10) and arrested.

Following the sentencing, Local Policing Chief Inspector Steve Brizell said: "Merseyside Police will not tolerate criminal damage or violence against our officers in any form.

"The actions of Griffiths last week caused significant damage and risk and disruption to members of the public, officers and staff in St Helens and we will always look to identify those responsible for such incidents and put them before the courts."