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A man who did a poo outside Gloucester City Council’s offices, in between throwing a brick and a table through its windows, has appeared in court.

David Collins pleaded guilty to causing criminal damage and obstructing a police officer in the execution of their duty during a hearing at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.

It heard that the 36-year-old, of no fixed abode, committed the offences at 8.45am yesterday at the city council’s offices in Westgate Street called The Gateway.

Prosecuting, Sonia Alford said the council estimated that £6,000 of damage had been caused.

He and another male had gone to the site and Collins was heard speaking about having been made homeless.

The prosecutor said he threw a brick through a window at the offices in an incident witnessed by three people, including a parking enforcement officer.

(Image: Phil Norris)

Miss Alford said: “He then pulled down his trousers and defecated on the street outside the council offices.”

She said he then took a large table from another premises nearby and twice threw it through more of the council’s windows.

Police then arrived and because Collins was so agitated, they drew their batons.

The prosecutor said Collins launched himself at one of the officers, as if to headbutt them, but that did not happen and the police managed to wrestle him to the ground.

After his arrest, Miss Alford said, he told police: “I went down there, shat on the floor, there’s nothing else to it.”

(Image: Phil Norris)

She added that Collins had been given a 12-month conditional discharge by the court on October 8 for throwing a table through a bedroom window of his accommodation at a unit in Cheltenham run by P3.

She said that in February this year, at Gloucester Crown Court, he was convicted of wounding.

Defending, Nicky Shaw said: “Since he was released from custody in September, he has not been given a great deal of support.

“He has had alcoholism and drugs issues and had a very difficult upbringing.”

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She said Collins came out of prison without many resources and had written to the council in a bid to be housed.

She said: “He’s on the streets again. He’s a very unwell man physically and perhaps mentally.

“Drink and drugs were involved yesterday and he completely lost control of his temper.

“To be honest, he’s given up now.”

She did not make an application for bail and magistrates adjourned the case for a hearing at Gloucester Crown Court on November 15.