Jail for drunk with a 'very bad record'

A HOMELESS man has been jailed for 14 months after a spate of drunken offences.

Mitchell Rogers breached the terms of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) by attempting to visit a 16-year-old girl in a children's home, Bristol Crown Court heard.

He drove off in a car while posing as a potential buyer, and snatched a phone from a woman who was four months pregnant.

Rogers, 23, who had just acquired hostel accommodation in Eastville after living in a tent, pleaded guilty to breaching the SOPO, theft, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and robbery in June.

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Judge Geoffrey Mercer QC told Rogers: "You've got a very bad record for your age. A very bad record."

The judge banned Rogers from driving for a year and ordered him to pass an extended driving test before returning to the road. He stressed Rogers' SOPO, banning him from unsupervised contact with youngsters aged under 16, would continue after his release.

Peter Coombe, prosecuting, said Rogers smelled of alcohol when he attempted to visit a 16-year-old at the children's home, which he should not have been within 100 meters of due to his order. He said Rogers posed as a car buyer when he looked at a Fiat on sale for £950 in Whitehall Road.

"Whilst the owner was distracted, by Mr Mitchell asking him to look under the bonnet, the defendant drove off," Mr Coombe said.

"He was disqualified from driving and he drove down the wrong side of Whitehall Road, the wrong way down a one-way street and pedestrians had to jump out of the way."

Pedestrians who had to leap for it included a mum with a buggy, the court heard.

Rogers was arrested nine days later and said he had been drinking all day. He was identified by an anonymous tip-off to police and a video ID parade.

Sarah Iles, defending, told the court her client had abused class A drugs from the age of 15 and had moved on to alcohol use before becoming homeless and relapsing to drugs.