A TEENAGER who hurled obscenities at magistrates and made an obscene gesture when they fined him has been jailed for 28 days by a district judge.

Jordan Hodgkins, 19, of Stottbury Road, Horfield, lost his temper on February 21 when he was brought to the court for a public order offence.

But his momentary irritation at being fined after he had told the magistrates he wouldn't be able to pay led to him being in breach of a previous conditional discharge.

It emerged that he also had nine breaches of court orders on his record, with six previous offences of failing to turn up to court.

Yesterday he pleaded guilty to using threatening words or behaviour, failing to surrender to police and failing to answer court. District Judge David Parsons told him his behaviour would not be tolerated.

Lisa Slocombe, defending, said he had a difficult background but was turning his life around.

She said: "He has been doing volunteer work. At Ashfield he did some work with the fire brigade, he has been doing a training programme with the police in secondary schools and has been working with the Prince's Trust, representing youths in parliament."

Hodgkins rang friends on his mobile phone from the dock while awaiting the judge's decision.

Judge Parsons said: "Your failing to go to court reflects the contempt for court proceedings that you showed to the magistrates.

"This court expects that defendants and other court users will treat magistrates with appropriate respect. Thankfully the vast majority of people who appear in the court do so.

"The fact that you showed considerable disrespect is not surprising when I look at your record."