A HOMELESS man urinated on a police car in a bid to get himself arrested, a court has heard.

Jakob Newman-Watt admitted one charge of drunk and disorderly behaviour when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

Police were called to a custody alarm after Newman-Watt entered the custody dock area at Hereford Police Station at 3.25am on March 13, prosecutor Ralph Robyns Landricombe said.

Newman-Watt, who was carrying two bottles of alcohol and was swaying, told officers he wanted to be arrested as he was homeless and had nowhere to stay.

He was told to go to the night shelter, but replied that he would do things to make them arrest him before kicking a police van.

The 22-year-old was escorted from the car park into Gaol Street, where he started swearing and shouting, while police walked away and waited out of sight to see if he would leave.

But instead, the court heard, Newman-Watt made his way back into the police car park and urinated on a police car.

He was again escorted into the street, but was eventually arrested after he smashed a bottle on the car park barrier.

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Speaking on his own behalf, Newman-Watt said it had been very cold that night, that the homeless shelter had been closed, and that he had not had anywhere to go.

"I could either stay out in the cold or get arrested, so that's why I did it," he said.

The court heard Newman-Watt, who is currently subject to a community order, is being helped to find accommodation by the probation service.

Newman-Watt, who is of no fixed address, was handed a nine-month conditional discharge. He must pay costs of £50 and a £22 victim surcharge.