THE trial of a man accused of smashing shop windows at the Top of Town has been adjourned.
As previously reported, Daniel Harris, 36, of Coleman Close, Basingstoke pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal damage but entered not-guilty pleas to three charges of racially or religiously aggravated criminal damage and one count of racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm, or distress at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on Monday, January 20.
He was charged after police were called to reports that a number of shop windows had been smashed in Winchester Street, London Street and Market Place, between 11.15pm on Sunday, January 12 and 12.08am on Monday, January 13.
He has been charged with three counts of racially/religiously aggravated criminal damage and three counts of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000.
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He was also charged with racially/religiously aggravated intentional harassment/alarm/distress.
Harris is charged separately with stealing meat items from a store on Thursday, January 16.
At the magistrates' court, he admitted to damaging the shopfront windows of two barber shops but denied all the other charges.
His sentencing was scheduled for Monday, January 27, at Basingstoke Magistrates Court.
Harris appeared via video link from HMP Winchester and reiterated the same guilty plea to criminal damage but denied any racial motivation, as well as causing criminal damage to the Premier store in London Street.
Sentencing was adjourned and the judge issued new dates for a remand hearing at Southampton Magistrates' Court on February 20 at 10am and a date for trial at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on March 14 at 10am.
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