Two East Oxford menaces have been hauled before the courts in an effort to curb their antisocial behaviour.
Leslie Belcher, of Magdalen Road, was given an Asbo in October last year.
But since then the 50-year-old has repeatedly broken the conditions of his order and on Monday at Oxford Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Tim Pattinson ran out of patience.
Judge Pattinson found him guilty of shouting abuse at neighbours and drinking with friends in his garden, despite an order banning him from drinking alcohol in public, from congregating with people in his garden and from using threatening language and behaviour.
Belcher was jailed for six weeks for both offences, and four weeks for an earlier breach of the Asbo which he had previously admitted after swearing at police officers who arrested him. The sentences will run concurrently.
Belcher denied two charges of breaching his Asbo, but was removed from the dock halfway through the trial for shouting, swearing and interrupting witnesses.
The court heard how he hurled abuse and threatened his neighbour Richard Feather as he walked past Belcher’s garden on July 2.
Mr Feather passed Belcher’s garden later and was subjected to another foul-mouthed rant.
Meanwhile, Michael McDonagh was handed a three-year Asbo at Oxford Crown Court on Friday after admitting four counts of racially aggravated public disorder.
The 31-year-old, from Cumberland Road, in East Oxford, is banned from drinking alcohol in public, being drunk in public, carrying an open container of alcohol in public and directing profane, abusive, insulting or racist language at anyone.
Prosecutor Paul Harrison told Friday’s hearing McDonagh was drinking a can of beer at a bus stop in Oxford at about 8.40pm on February 27.
When he attempted to get on a bus, driver Antan Mawaiba told him he was not allowed to board with alcohol.
After leaving the can outside, McDonagh racially abused the driver, Mr Harrison said. He added: “He went on to say he was white, therefore he should be allowed to use the bus whether he had alcohol or whether he didn’t.”
Later that evening the defendant, who was living in Barton at the time, urinated into the garden of neighbour Elyas Masih.
Mr Harrison told the court: “The defendant said ‘The Bogeyman is coming’, and ‘I’m going to smash your door in and rape your wife’.
Upon his arrest, McDonagh, who has 21 previous convictions for 44 offences, refused to talk to an Asian officer and used further racist language at the police station.
Recorder Matthew Lowe granted the Asbo and McDonagh was bailed to be sentenced on October 21.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel