Liam Farrell jailed for 24 months at Southampton Crown Court

Prolific offender Liam Farrell has been jailed for two years after headbutting a fellow resident at Patrick House and causing one of the employees to fear for her safety.

Roderick Blain, prosecuting, told Southampton Crown Court that Farrell became agitated and assaulted another man during an incident in the hostel's foyer.

He added: "The defendant remained in an agitated state for the rest of the evening and into the early hours of the next day.

"At one point he lost the key to his room. Staff used a passkey to let him in but he kept going in and out. He demanded a key to his room, became aggressive and started banging on the counter."

Liam Farell ran amok at Patrick House in Southampton. Picture: Hampshire police.

Mr Blain said Farrell also banged on the office windows as well as racially abusing a female member of staff.

He added: "He repeatedly told her he was going to murder her and invited her outside so he could do so. It was a sustained incident that was clearly intended to cause fear of serious violence."

Farrell, 37, apologised to the court for his behaviour, saying he was drunk at the time.

He added: "I wasn't myself. I'm not a violent person - I've not got a history of that - and I don't consider myself to be a racist. I deeply regret anything that was said."

The incident occurred at Patrick House.

Farell said he was now drug-free.

Judge Christopher Parker told him: "You made a complete nuisance of yourself, abusing another resident and headbutting him before getting involved in a scuffle.

"A few hours later you caused a prolonged scene, racially abusing someone who was there late at night, working for the public good.

"You consistently abused her by using the most unpleasant racist language.

"The situation is made considerably worse by your criminal record. You have been before the court on 67 previous occasions for 145 offences. Your guilty pleas are your only mitigating factor."

Farrell admitted affray, racially aggravated harassment and breaching a suspended prison sentence imposed for a burglary. He was jailed for a total of 24 months.

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