A "SCOURGE of Falmouth" has been jailed for breaching a court order imposed to keep him from causing trouble.
Michael John Starling, 31, was jailed on Monday for 12 weeks after being found drunk by police on Friday.
Starling had been given an antisocial behaviour order (Asbo) the day before by Truro magistrates banning him from being under the influence of alcohol in Falmouth or Truro town centres.
Inspector Mark Richards said: "Starling was the scourge of Falmouth, now he's the scourge of Truro since moving in 2011."
Natasha Matthews, the Cornwall Council antisocial behaviour case worker who worked with police to apply for the Asbo, said: "We have been working on this since January. He was issued a warning then and subsequently given the Asbo last week."
The order was imposed after Starling, of Trevethenick Road, Truro, pleaded guilty to six offences including racial abuse, being drunk and disorderly and public order offences at Truro Magistrates' Court on Thursday. His solicitor, Rob Eccleston, said Starling was attempting to address his alcohol problems and was booked into a programme.
Magistrates heard on Monday that Starling was asked to leave his address on Friday night and effectively made homeless. He went to The Leats where he knew he had some bedding and shelter.
He maintained he was not drunk when police saw him and was asleep when they found him.
On Thursday, magistrates had heard that on January 14 Starling was asked to leave a train in Truro after shouting abuse at a passenger and verbally abusing rail staff.
An ambulance was called following an altercation involving Starling on January 25, when Starling became abusive.
On January 24, he verbally abused and challenged staff to a fight at a fast-food outlet in Truro.
Then, on February 20, he was asked to get off a train at Perranwell Station after shouting racial abuse at a passenger.
In another incident, Starling was asked to leave Truro train station when he and two females hurled abuse at staff and passengers. Rail workers reported smelling booze on his breath. And on April 22, Starling threatened to stab a person in the neck following an altercation.
Mr Eccleston said Starling was due to attend an alcohol programme on April 22, but had to appear in court the same day. He wanted help with the alcoholism he had struggled with since the age of 16.
Mr Eccleston said the five-year Asbo would go uncontested and Starling would live with his girlfriend in Truro, keeping him off the streets. An appeal has been lodged against the 12-week prison sentence.
