A man who locked himself in a toilet in a Barnet Council office last Friday brandishing a petrol can says he did so out of "sheer desperation".

Grant Smith, 28, of Duncan Close, New Barnet, will appear in court today charged with criminal damage, after his protest against housing officers prompted the evacuation of Barnet House in High Road, Whetstone.

"I know I've caused a scene but I did so out of desperation," he said this week.

The father-of-two feared his family would end up without a home because housing officers refused to declare him homeless before he was evicted by his landlord.

The final straw came when Mr Smith went to Barnet House to attempt to get a form signed declaring his family homeless, but was turned away because his partner, Adeline Power, was not present.

"I was desperate, we've got nowhere to go," he said.

"I went home and my wife was crying and my kids were in tears.

"I picked up my cordless drill and bought a petrol can.

"I walked back to Barnet House, went straight into the toilets, filled the petrol can up with water and sealed the toilet door with screws.

"Someone came past the window, and I said, call the police, call the fire brigade, I'm not leaving until I've got this signed' and pushed the form under the door.

"The reason for using the petrol can was because otherwise they would have kicked the door in straight away and they wouldn't listen."

Mr Smith was eventually talked out of the toilet by police officers. He said he will plead guilty to the charge of criminal damage when he appears at Hendon Magistrates' Court.

A council spokesman said housing officers had been working with Mr Smith and his partner since January to resolve their problem, but could not declare them homeless until they received a bailiffs' warrant instructing them to leave their home.

He added that officers were reluctant to put them in temporary accommodation but had helped them find properties for rent.