A SKIPTON man wiped faeces on the walls and door of a police cell, heard magistrates.

James Reynoldson, 26, also threw 'dirty toilet water' under the cell door at Harrogate Police Station heard Skipton Magistrates Court on Friday.

Reynoldson had been taken into custody on October 27 for other matters, the court was told.

While in the cell, he proceeded to wipe faeces on the walls and door and had thrown dirty toilet water, which together had left police with a cleaning bill of £32.40.

Reynoldson of Watsons Houses, admitted criminal damage. The court heard he had 11 previous convictions for 13 offences, but had last been before the courts in 2016.

Reynoldson told the court he had a lot of trouble at the time. His father had just died, he was not thinking straight and had been out drinking.

"I had just come out of hospital and was struggling with my mental health. It was not really me, I've stayed out of trouble for a long time and to intend to keep doing so," he told the magistrates.

Reynoldson was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £16. He will also have to pay police compensation of £32.40.