Mischief between a group of young males at a Tesco superstore led to clothing worth £2,700 being damaged and withdrawn from sale.

The high jinks which culminated with milk cartons exploding at the Copdock store have left Nathan Mills, formerly of Waveney Road, Ipswich, £1,366 out of pocket.

The 20-year-old, who now lives at the YMCA, was ordered to pay Tesco compensation after admitting criminal damage when he appeared before Ipswich magistrates.

A 17-year-old co-defendant is likely to be ordered to pay the same sum after he also pleaded guilty to criminal damage. However, his case was sent to youth court to be dealt with.

Prosecutor Wayne Ablett said the incident occurred on April 4 when four males entered the store.

Mills and the 17-year-old went to the dairy section and picked up four large cartons of milk, before making their way into the central aisle.

One of the other males left, while the fourth one recorded what was going to take place on his mobile phone, the court heard.

Mr Ablett said Mills and his co-accused proceeded to “chuck” the cartons of milk into the central aisle next to the ladies’ clothing section.

The cartons exploded splattering some milk on clothing with a total value of £2,733, which was unable to be sold as a result.

The male who filmed the incident was given a community resolution, while Mills and the 17-year-old were prosecuted for criminal damage.

Kevin McCarthy, representing Mills, said his client was not quite clear why the incident happened but he and the teenager started to gesture to each other as if they were going to throw the milk.

Magistrates gave Mills a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay half the amount of the damage in compensation.

The chairman of the bench told Mills: “The sting is in the tail of the compensation. You will pay it all back - £1,366.50. That’s your punishment.”