DRUNKEN best man Thomas McMahon caused more than £3,200 of damage to Caverswall Castle and assaulted its owner during a stag night.

The 34-year-old primary school teacher appeared at North Staffordshire Magistrates' Court after admitting causing criminal damage and assault. He was ordered to pay the cost of specialist repairs as well as £75 compensation to castle owner Robin MacDonald who was injured as he tried to stop McMahon's midnight rampage.

Mr MacDonald was woken by a commotion to see McMahon, of Tyldesley, near Manchester, being lowered more than two-and-a-half metres from the window of his Moat House Hotel room into a courtyard.

Realising McMahon was "extremely drunk" and in danger, he shouted for the group to stop, but was met by rude gestures and called the police.

McMahon walked across the roof of Mr MacDonald's Vauxhall Vectra, causing £350 damage, before 'stumbling and staggering' towards a Grade I listed staircase, kicking a stone boulder off the banister, sending it down the stairs.

Mr MacDonald then tackled McMahon and suffered blows to the head and a sprained wrist.

On arrival, police found McMahon dangling from his bedroom window. McMahon claimed not to remember the incident because of the amount of alcohol he consumed.He also received a caution for possession of cocaine.

Andrew Bennett, defending, said: "He has no recollection and is aghast at what has taken place.This was a stag weekend. Excess alcohol goes with the territory."