Man commits 220th offence two days after jail term

Andrew John Jason Bell admitted making threats to a hotel manager

A man who has amassed more than 200 criminal offences was back in court days after leaving jail.

Andrew John Jason Bell, 47, appeared before magistrates in Carlisle to admit a public order offence for threatening to "batter" a hotel manager in the city.

He was fined £140 and ordered to pay prosecution costs and a mandatory surcharge for what is his 220th offence, committed on 27 July.

His previous court appearance was in April when he was jailed for threatening a bus driver and racially abusing a man.

During a hearing on Monday, magistrates heard Bell had been sitting drinking on the step of Carlisle’s Station Hotel in Court Square at about 20:30 BST on Saturday, just two days after being released from jail.

The hotel manager alerted police to the presence of Bell.

He was asked to move on and did so initially before returning to the hotel entrance an hour later.

'Hard man'

Using the hotel intercom, Bell asked whether he could use the toilet and was refused entry, said prosecutor Peter Bardsley.

"He started shouting ‘do you think you are some sort of hard man?’," the court was told.

Bell also told the manager "I'll batter you", the prosecutor said.

Mr Bardsley told the court: "He is then seen outside, putting his arms up as if inviting (the manager) to have a fight with him."

The manager later stated he was concerned Bell might carry out his threats if a guest opened the hotel door

He added: "Throughout the incident I felt harassed, alarmed and in fear."

Kate Hunter, mitigating, said Bell had been released from custody last Thursday and slept rough that night, but has now secured hostel accommodation.

"That is an opportunity for Mr Bell to show the courts, police and public he can abide and be a good citizen," said Ms Hunter, who described Bell having some mental health issues.

"He asks for a chance to prove himself."