A GUILTY conscience caused a teenager to return to the scene of a crime and right his wrongs, a court was told.

Aaron Paul Millar, 18, was given a reduced sentence by Weymouth magistrates after they heard he painted over graffiti he sprayed over garage doors following a drinking session.

Millar, of St Lawrence Road, Weymouth, was drinking at the Royal Standard pub in Upwey with a friend, the court was told.

Prosecutor Tim O'Sullivan said: "They went round the back for a cigarette and entered the cleaners' area and stole two cans of spray paint.

"They sprayed the words 'Millar' and 'crackhead' on the pub toilet block, a bench and a garage and on to two privately owned garages across the road."

Mr O'Sullivan added that the following morning Millar and his friend returned to the pub with white paint and paint brushes and began to paint over the graffiti.

Simon Lacey, in mitigation, said: "Happily they came to their senses the next morning when they sobered up and thought about what they had done.

"They went to B&Q to buy the equipment for the job and were painting the garage doors when the police arrived to speak to the owners.

"The police saw them painting the garage doors and they were arrested and went along with the police.

"After they left the police station, they went back and finished the job and apologised to the landlord of the pub."

Millar pleaded guilty to three charges of damaging a garage door, to receiving two cans of spray paint and to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour in Wimborne on March 25.

The court heard Millar approached a police car in Leigh Road, Wimborne and stuck his finger up at the police officer.

He was later found walking in the middle of the road and swore at officers when he was approached.

Magistrates were told that Millar, who plans to take a college course and join the Army, had 14 previous convictions.

Mr Lacey added: "Having done the wrong thing, he did the right thing and went back to put things right."

Magistrates gave him a six-month conditional discharge and ordered he pay £70 costs.