A homeless man has been jailed after stealing from charities, ignoring an Asbo and leaving excrement in a church.

Raymond Woods would down up to nine litres of cheap cider a day as he slept in doorways and parks.

Kirklees magistrates heard the 59-year-old turned to alcohol following the death of his parents and two brothers and had not had a home to call his own since the 1980s.

His solicitor described his case as extremely sad and blamed the lack of mental health facilities in Huddersfield for his continued offending.

Woods pleaded guilty to two charges of burglary, three breaches of an anti-social behaviour order and a charge of criminal damage.

The court was told that Woods, of no fixed address, had led an itinerant lifestyle.

He had gained a criminal record after travelling around the country and appearing in courts over various offences.

Many of these were related to churches and his Asbo handed out by South West Surrey magistrates banned him from entering any church or place of worship.

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Woods is on a second Asbo from Calderdale Magistrates’ Court which runs until next year.

On February 7 he left excrement on the floor of a porch at St Patrick’s Church in New North Road, which had to be cleaned up by Father Ian Smith.

A week later Woods returned to the church and swore at parishioners as he made his way inside before smashing a window.

Between January 24 and 25 he smashed his way into Whitegates estate agents in the town and stole a charity box containing £20.

He also burgled Oxfam in New Street between February 11 and 12, leaving blood at the scene following both break- ins.

Earlier that day Woods had made a nuisance of himself at McDonald’s in Kirkgate, begging customers for money and food before urinating across the floor.

McDonald's, Kirkgate
McDonald's, Kirkgate

His solicitor Jonathan Slawinski described Woods’ situation as a “real shame”.

He said: “He’s lost his mother, father and two brothers, everything went wrong from there and he started drinking.

“He drinks Frosty Jack’s cider - the really cheap stuff - and begs to get the funding for it.

“His body is imploding, he’s had no property since ‘84 and he has no control over his bladder or bowels as a result of his constant abuse to his body.”

Mr Slawinski added that the common theme to his client’s offending was down to the fact that churches were quiet and warm.

He said: “In this town there used to be institutions called St Luke’s and Storthes Hall which dealt with individuals of this nature.

“These are no longer available in this town and Mr Woods is in a really sad situation.’

District Judge Parkash Aujla told Woods that his only option was to jail him for 90 days.