BASINGSTOKE magistrates described a Winklebury man as a "menace to society" after he admitted to racially harassing a group of people and assaulting a policeman.

Chris Clarke, prosecuting, told the court that police were called to Wote Street, Basingstoke, in the early hours of April 5, this year, to investigate reports of a large group of people fighting.

He said they found Liam Tischler, 22, a self-employed painter and decorator from Winklebury Centre, bleeding near the scene, but he refused to tell the police what had happened.

Mr Clarke said that as Tischler, who is white, walked away, he shouted abusive, racist comments to the group of black people, and repeated several times: "Why don't you get back to where you came from".

Football fan Tischler went on to shout: "Millwall, Millwall. I've done nothing wrong."

When police searched Tischler, they found a lump of cannabis resin, which he said was for his own personal use.

Mr Clarke told the court that Tischler admitted to having been extremely drunk at the time.

In a second incident, in the early hours of June 7, police investigating reports of an abandoned vehicle at the Winklebury Centre, in Winklebury, Basingstoke, found Tischler at the scene, and unsteady on his feet.

They received complaints that he was being aggressive towards people on a nearby balcony, heard him shouting at them, and arrested him for being drunk and disorderly.

After being taken to Basingstoke police station he spat at one officer, Pc Jonathan Peace, and kicked him on the thigh.

Tischler pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly, racially aggravated harassment, possession of cannabis and assaulting a policeman.

Graeme McPherson, defending, told the court that Tischler admitted to having an alcohol problem, but said he was not a racist.

Chairman of the bench, Jim Stanley, told Tischler: "You are perfectly reasonable when you are sober, but when you drink you are a menace to society and you should be ashamed of yourself."

He imposed 200 hours community punishment for the racial harassment, and a four-month curfew order and £100 compen-sation for the assault on Pc Peace.

He also fined Tischler £100 for possession of cannabis, £50 for being drunk and disorderly, and ordered him to pay £173 costs.

Mr Stanley told Tischler: "I hope this gives you the jolt you need to stop drinking and make something useful out of yourself."