A court has ordered a man who tore hundreds of pairs of children's trousers to get psychiatric help.

Clive Julian Kemmish, 38, was put on probation for two years and told to carry out 75 hours' community service by Bicester magistrates.

He was also ordered to pay £50 costs and £165 compensation.

Kemmish had pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to six charges of criminal damage and asked for 91 other offences to be taken into consideration.

The six charges related to attacks at Wood Green School, Witney, Gosford Hill School, Kidlington, Marlborough School, Woodstock, and the Park Sports Centre at Wheatley. All took place between July 11, 2000 and March 26, 2001.

The court heard that father-of-two Kemmish, of Holden Street, Bridgwater, Somerset, broke into Oxfordshire schools and leisure centres and used his hands to rip at the children's trousers.

The offences dated from November 1995 to March this year. The damaged clothing was worth £1,885.

Nigel Rees, defending, said: "Mr Kemmish says there is nothing that excuses what he has done and he is quite right. There is nothing sinister or sexual about this.

"He was verbally abused when he was a child and he had the same thing done to him. Again nothing excuses his actions. This is a man with quite a few troubles which need to be addressed by the court.

"His wife has left him and will not have him back until he has addressed his problems. He has broken his history of denial and genuinely wants to change his habits."

A doctor's report submitted to the court said that he clearly had a personality disturbance but he was not considered a risk to society.

Afterwards, Kemmish's solicitor read out a brief statement in which Kemmish apologised to his victims and admitted he needed help.

He apologised to his family and friends for the grief and anguish he had caused.