A PONTARDAWE man has been hit with four suspended prison sentences for a string of offences including causing £500 worth of damage to a car and stealing a cheque.

Mathew Lee Evans, of 36b Swansea Road, pleaded guilty to eight separate charges at Neath magistrates.

The 23-year-old was jailed for four months, suspended for 12 months, for damaging a vehicle belonging to Natalie Jones at Commercial Street, Ystalyfera, on January 28.

He was also ordered to pay £250 compensation to the victim and was ordered to take part in a enhanced thinking skills programme and made the subject of a supervision order for 12 months.

Evans was also hit with another four-month sentence, suspended for 12 months and to run concurrently, for stealing a cheque from Michael Anthony Evans at 33 Orchard Street, Pontardawe between February 2-7.

He was also ordered to pay £200 costs.

His third suspended sentence, once again for four months and suspended for a year, was for unlawfully possessing a quantity of amphetamine at Neath Police Station on February 6.

Evans' fourth and final suspended sentence was handed out because he failed to comply with a supervision order imposed on August 14 last year.

Summing up why they had imposed the suspended sentences, magistrates said they had no other realistic option.

"The offences were so serious that only custody is justified and you have previous history of offending against the same complainant," they said, before adding they had suspended the sentences to give Evans the opportunity to address his offending behaviour.

No separate penalties were imposed for failing to comply with two other community orders or for driving without a licence.

Evans was however, banned from driving for two months for driving with no insurance.