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A sacked Tesco cleaner who dumped a deer’s head in his old store has been told to get treatment for his drinking.

James Hyett, 33, carried the remains into the shop in a bin bag, put the head on a self-service checkout and draped its guts in the bread aisle.

He was arrested after being identified by CCTV footage.

The court heard Hyett, who pleaded guilty to criminal damage earlier this month, was suffering a breakdown.

The incident was treated as criminal damage because of the cost of the clean-up operation.

His lawyer Elizabeth Bradshaw said the incident in the early hours of June 4 in the 24-hour store was “out of character”.

She added: “He is very remorseful. It was a difficult time for him.”

Hyett, of Saffron Walden, Essex, was given a 16-week suspended jail term, £250 costs to cover a cleaning bill and ordered to have alcohol addiction treatment.

Colchester magistrate Barry Hawes said Hyett had caused “considerable distress and anguish for staff and members of the public”.