MAGISTRATES took pity on a man who defied a police order to leave Worcester city centre telling him that his crime was hardly the Great Train Robbery and that he had to learn to handle his drink.

Oliver Jeynes, of Ombersley, near Droitwich, refused to leave Angel Place, Worcester, after police told him to go at about 1.55am on New Year’s Day. The 21-year-old admitted failing to comply with the order when he appeared before Worcester magistrates.

But chairman of the bench Mike Pilling told Jeynes: “It’s not the Great Train Robbery we’re dealing with here. If you can’t handle your drink, learn to handle it.”

Mr Pilling, who told the court he has a teenage child, said it was a young person’s offence and the only people who were sober in Angel Place at that time were police and the odd bouncer.

Kerry Lovegrove, prosecuting, said officers had been handling a separate incident when Jeynes was asked to move away.

Miss Lovegrove said: “He was complaining about his ejection from Tramps nightclub. Police noticed he was in a drunken state and he refused to leave the area, despite being asked to do so.”

She said that Jeynes wanted to return to Tramps to retrieve a jacket, but police said he was argumentative and that he refused to leave.

Jeynes was told that his ejection from Tramps was a matter for the nightclub and because he refused to leave, officers were left with no choice but to arrest him.

Jeynes, who represented himself, said he was sorry for wasting police time.

“I was in Tramps nightclub at the bar and I was taken out pretty abruptly for reasons I still don’t know. At the same time my phone went missing. I went outside and tried to explain this to the police.

“They didn’t seem that interested which did get on my nerves. That’s why I turned argumentative.”

Jeynes told the court that he was not a feisty drinker, but said: “I was being a bit of a pain in the backside with the police. I did exactly what it says on the tin.”

He told magistrates that he worked at Halo Cars, Ombersley, and earned about £150 per week. Magistrates fined him £50 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.