A man who told police he was carrying a knife in a public place to steal number plates has avoided jail.

Earlier this year Andrew Richardson, of The Phelps, Kidlington, was cleared of threatening his former girlfriend with a power drill and holding her prisoner inside her car.

The 37-year-old told police he was carrying the drill, knife and roll of tape to steal car number plates near where he was arrested in Kidlington.

Yesterday at Oxford Crown Court he was handed an 18-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and told to pay a £100 victims’ surcharge.