DERBY City Council has decided not to try to pursue the owner of the former Hippodrome theatre for the £17,000 costs it incurred in taking him to court for damaging the building.

Christopher Anthony admitted damaging the building in Green Lane in court last year.

But the judge, David Pugsley, ruled Mr Anthony was "too broke" to be fined.

Instead, he made an order enabling the council to make an application for costs which ran out at 4pm on January 28.

During the case at Stoke Crown Court in April last year, Judge Pugsley said he felt there could be public outrage if taxpayers of Derby thought a chance to recoup court costs was not given.

But the council's legal advisers said that would only be worthwhile if they had evidence of an improvement in Mr Anthony's finances.

A council spokesman said: "Because we have found no such evidence of any material change, the decision has been made not to contest our costs in this case."