A MIDDLE-aged man who damaged the premises and was abusive at a Taunton business that trains hairdressers has been sent to prison for 12 weeks.

Jonathan James Bowyer, 58, of East Reach, damaged the front door of the Hair Academy South West within yards of where he was living on November 10 last year.

The repair bill came to £474.72 and Bowyer was ordered to pay compensation totalling £300.

He was also jailed for four weeks consecutive to another prison sentence as magistrates ruled he was guilty of "a blatant offence causing extreme fear to the victim".

He received no separate penalty for using threatening or abusive words or behaviour on the same occasion.

He also admitted the same offence towards another person in the town on October 23, for which he was sent down for eight weeks, amounting to an overall sentence of 12 weeks.

Bowyer pleaded guilty to the offences when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates' Court this week.