A WHEELCHAIR-bound man who had been banned from his local supermarket has been fined for threatening behaviour towards staff members.

Michael Sefton, aged 55, of Little Priest Lane, Pershore, pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court.

Prosecutor Shafquat Reaz told the court that Sefton has entered the Asda at Cherry Orchard, Pershore, before it had opened on the morning of May 8, triggering an alarm system.

The manager and deputy manager had hurried to throw him out, but Sefton shouted at them, "I'm making a protest," and police were called.

The court heard that Sefton had been banned from the shop by a court order imposed for a similar event on April 19, and so he was in breach of the order.

Paul Stanley, for Sefton, said that he had suffered a major motorcycle accident in his 20s, that had caused temporal lobe brain damage, life-long paralysis and the amputation of his right leg, resulting in him being reliant on a wheelchair.

He said: "This branch of Asda is the nearest shop to where he lived in Pershore, and thus he feels aggrieved that he has been banned from his most convenient shop."

Because he had breached the community order imposed earlier, Sefton was re-sentenced for the April 19 offence and fined £40.

He was fined another £40 for the later offence, and told to pay costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £30.

The court heard that police had applied for a criminal behaviour order against Sefton to prevent further offending.

But magistrates decided that since the application had only come in on the same day as the hearing, it would be fair to allow more time for Sefton and his solicitor to study it.

Consideration of the order was adjourned to August 9.