A TEENAGER argued with his girlfriend and tried to provoke a police community support officer into fighting with him in a Worcester street as neighbours watched on, a court heard.

Unemployed decorator Stephen Bosworth also kicked a door in anger causing hundreds of pounds damage after he tried to prevent his partner from visiting her sister.

The 18-year-old admitted charges of causing criminal damage and using threatening words or behaviour that could cause harassment, alarm or distress when he appeared before the city’s magistrates on Friday.

Salli Hewitt, prosecuting, said an argument broke out between the couple at Bosworth’s home in Gresham Road, Dines Green, about noon on Monday, July 7 before the verbal altercation spilled outside.

“He was not letting her leave the premises to go to her sister’s house,” she said. “The community support officer saw she was very tearful and crying and tried to find out what the problem was.

“When he approached Bosworth squared up to him in a very intimidating manner.”

Miss Hewitt said Bosworth’s girlfriend told him to go away and the 18-year-old kicked the front door belonging to Worcester Community Housing causing it to come away from the frame.

Bosworth then returned to confront the community support officer for a second time.

“Bosworth was pushing his chest against him to try and provoke violence,” said Miss Hewitt. “The CSO was rather frightened for his own safety.”

Police officers then arrived at the scene and arrested Bosworth.

In mitigation Jason Patel said the argument started because Bosworth wanted to spend some “quality time” with his girlfriend, whom he had not seen for a couple of days.

Mr Patel said the couple were back on speaking terms and added Bosworth apologised to the CSO.

“A couple of days after he went over to the officer and apologised in relation to his behaviour on that afternoon,” he said.

Magistrates sentenced Bosworth to a 12-month community order with a supervision requirment for that period. He has also been put on a general offending behaviour programme, made to pay £200 compensation for the door damage.