A rebel pensioner has been jailed after he refused to co-operate with a judge.

Victor Causabon-Vincent said he would rather go to jail than see "plonkers" from the probation service.

His defiance earned him 28 days behind bars after he was convicted at Worthing Magistrates Court yesterday of smashing up the cars of four doctors at his local surgery.

Judge Tim Pattinson asked for pre-sentence reports and said he was prepared to grant conditional bail.

But Causabon-Vincent, 72, left the judge astonished by refusing to accept a condition he should co-operate with probation service staff preparing the report.

Causabon-Vincent said: "I would rather be locked up right now than co-operate with them.

"I have never had anything to do with probation. I don't want any plonkers from probation dictating to me."

Judge Pattinson told him a pre-sentence report might recommend some form of community punishment rather than prison.

Causabon-Vincent, of Hillrise Avenue, Sompting, remained defiant and insisted he would rather be locked up.

Judge Pattinson said: "In that case you leave me no option but to impose a prison sentence.

"This involved attacks on four vehicles each of which belonged to a doctor.

"They have had to put up with a huge amount of distress, inconvenience and expense as a result of your actions.

"More than that, a number of patients, sick people, have suffered because the surgery had to be closed for a while."

During a two-day hearing the court was told Causabon-Vincent was angry doctors at the surgery had "stitched him up" by writing a letter saying he was fit to attend court.

He marched into the surgery on November 7 last year and told receptionist Sandra Cockerell the doctors should watch out for the consequences.

Moments after he left the building Dr Jennifer Young felt a thump against a wall which she likened to an earthquake.

Dr Christopher Hayson said he looked out of his window after hearing the sound of smashing glass.

He said: "I saw two of my partners' cars closest to mine had their front and rear windscreens smashed and a man going towards a third car.

"He raised something up and smashed it down on the rear window of that car and then went on to do the same to my car."

Witness Jacqueline Sutton saw white-haired Causabon-Vincent attacking the cars with a garden fork as she drove past on her way to work at 9.30am.

She said: "He raised it above his shoulder and smashed the windscreens of one of the cars.

"I could not see his face but what I did notice about him was that he had very prominent white hair."

Causabon-Vincent had denied four charges of criminal damage to the vehicles which were in the doctors' car park at the Ball Tree surgery in Western Road North, Sompting.

He told the court he was angry after being told that there was a warrant out for his arrest after doctors wrote the letter saying he was fit to attend court without sending a copy to him.

He said: "I arrived at the surgery at 8.20am. It took me 30 seconds to walk up the path.

"I spent 30 seconds in reception and then I turned round and went back out and left the premises. End of story."

Judge Pattinson asked him if he had left a message at reception that the doctors should watch out for the consequences.

Causabon-Vincent replied:"You don't think if I was going to do anything to that surgery I would be silly enough to go in and tell them about it first, do you? I was very angry about what they had done but I did not threaten them."

Sentencing him, the judge said: "It seems to me totally incredible and far fetched to suggest there was another person similar to you in age and height who caused that damage.

"I have no doubt the damage to those vehicles was caused by you."

Causabon-Vincent told the judge that he planned to appeal against the conviction.