A man from Bristol, with a history of previous convictions, landed himself further in trouble by defacing a newly-painted police cell.

Lewis Scott's solicitor called him "stupid" when he appeared before Bristol Magistrates Court charged with criminal damage after writing his name on the cell's walls.

The 19-year-old was behind bars because he had handed himself into Southmead Police Station on Thursday after breaching bail conditions on earlier theft charges.

But while in the cell Mr Scott, who lives in Grove Leaze, Shirehampton, scratched his name into the walls in a number of places and landed himself an £120 fine.

The sum means Mr Scott, who receives job seekers allowance, now owes almost £1,000 in fines brought about from previous convictions.

Crown prosecutor Huw Rogers said: "He handed himself in to the police station and while there scratched the inside of the cell door with the word 'Scotty', in a number of places on the walls he also scratched the words 'Scotty 09', 'L Dub' and 'Shire Massive'.

"He originally denied causing criminal damage but in fact the cell had been painted that morning and Mr Scott had been the only person in there."

Giles Nelson, defending, said Scott had been helping a friend with some decorating work when he realised he had breached the conditions of his bail, which require him to attend the police station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

He said: "He really is the author of his own demise. He breached his bail, he missed an early signing on because he had been helping a friend to decorate but handed himself into the police station the next morning.

"He was doing everything right. While the matter was being dealt with he committed the offence. It was pretty stupid.

"Had he not done this the matter would have been dealt with and he would have been out yesterday but as it was he spent last night in prison."

Magistrates ordered that Scott pay a total of £120 for criminal damage and a victim surcharge.

The sum was added to the £834.98 Scott already owes for previous offences and the court ordered that £10 be collected from his benefits every fortnight.