A man has admitted a string of offences including burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.

Ben Crispin, 30, of Hillside Road, Southminster, appeared before Colchester Magsitrates' Court on Wednesday.

He was charged with two counts of criminal damage, assaulting a police officer, aggravated vehicle taking, disobeying a court order and burglary.

At around 2.30pm on Wednesday, July 23, Crispin entered a property in Mill Road, Burnham, knocked ornaments over and woke the occupants.

He fled the scene but dropped his mobile on the front garden. The following day, he visited the property and asked about his phone but was told to leave.

On Friday, August 25, Crispin took a man’s car without permission and damaged the clutch.

When the victim enquired about the missing vehicle the following day, Crispin explained that he taken it out for a drive and was forced to abandon it after causing a thousands of pounds of damage.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "We made attempts to locate Crispin and were called at 9.40pm on Sunday, September 9, after he had turned up at a property in Maldon, damaging a door and a car.

"While being arrested, Crispin spat at an officer, who quickly realised that Crispin had broken his knee.

"He was taken to hospital where spent the next eight days, including his 30th birthday, receiving treatment."

Having admitted the six charges at court on Wednesday Crispin will be sentenced on Wednesday, October 17.