GWENT Police have defended their decision to engage in a six-hour stand-off with a man they believed to be armed, even though he was only charged with damaging roof tiles while trying to escape armed officers.

Roche Allen, 23, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of burglary after the armed siege in Chepstow Road, Maindee involving around 20 officers, including the armed response unit and police dog handlers.

Twelve police vehicles and officers armed with machine guns surrounded the house they believed contained a gunman and cordoned off the street.

No gun has yet been found and no mention of it was made in court.

Allen, who is living with a friend in Fairoak Road, Maindee after moving from Nottingham two-months-ago, pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal damage relating to broken roof tiles caused when he tried to escape police by climbing onto the roof of the house.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and asked to pay £150 - the cost claimed for the damaged roof tiles.

But all other matters he was arrested for resulted in no further action.

Francesca Bettosi, defending, told the court police arrived at the address armed and Allen ran onto the roof in an attempt to get away.

She said it was a "foolish incident" rather than an intentional one and added although Allen has a criminal record it stops in July 2007.

A spokeswoman for Gwent Police said: "We had intelligence from a number of sources. Our police response involved best maintaining public safety at all times, which is a priority for us. The incident was brought to a safe conclusion with no-one being injured."

She added: " Although there was an inconvenience to motorists, public safety was and has to be our priority at all times."