POLICING the Market Square in St Neots is a pain, magistrates told an 18-year-old who had been arrested nearby for disorderly behaviour last June. Police had been called at 2am after Jake Adam Cook, of Longsands Road, St Neots, had been seen to kick out a

POLICING the Market Square in St Neots is a pain, magistrates told an 18-year-old who had been arrested nearby for disorderly behaviour last June.

Police had been called at 2am after Jake Adam Cook, of Longsands Road, St Neots, had been seen to kick out at the door of Lloyds TSB and to push away his friends, Tracy Bellingham, prosecuting, told Huntingdonshire magistrates.

Cook raised his middle finger twice to male and female officers in an obscene gesture and was arrested after he refused to speak to a sergeant, the court heard.

Officers had to use a CS gas spray to restrain him, Mrs Bellingham added.

David Potter, for Cook, said his client had apologised to the officers for his language and behaviour, telling them: "When you're drunk, you act like a prat".

"He has learned his lesson," Mr Potter said. "He is not intending to get arrested and spend the night in the cells again. He knows how to avoid it in the future."

He explained that the case had taken so long to come to court because Cook had disputed a further charge of criminal damage, which the Crown had now dropped. Cook's kick had not made contact with the door, and there was no damage, he said.

Conditionally discharging Cook for 12 months, magistrate Celia Chignell told him: "Police in St Neots have a lot of difficulty policing the Market Square. It's a pain to them and to anyone who lives there. We

sincerely hope you won't do it again.