Bradley Grimes, who has lived in care homes since he was 7, begged the judge to be sent to prison for his birthday (Picture: Evening Gazette)

An autistic homeless man arrived a day early to court to beg the judge to be sent to prison.

Bradley Grimes has lived in care homes since he was seven and spent the past six months sleeping rough in shop doorways in Middlesbrough.

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The 23-year-old’s social worker told Teesside Crown Court that ‘at least in prison he will wake up on his birthday somewhere warm’.

Grimes was in court to answer to breaking a four-month suspended jail sentence for a knife offence and two ASBO breaches, reports Gazette Live.


The court also heard how he had a brain tumour ‘brought on by years of neglect’.

Bradley Grimes arrived a day early with all his belongings at Teesside Crown Court (Picture: PA)

Further details to clarify how the tumour developed were not available from the court at the time of publication.



A court liaison probation officer told Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC that they have been trying their ‘best’ to help Grimes.

The judge said he would take a personal interest in Grimes, while acknowledging that if he gave him a short sentence he will back on the streets as before.

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Defending, Aisha Wadoodi, told the judge how Grimes had asked for his suspended sentence to be activated so he could be sent to prison.

She said: ‘The only reason he is asking for that is that he finds himself in an impossible situation in that he has no home.

‘He has been in care homes since he’s was seven and he has fallen through the care system.’

Grimes’s case was adjourned until October 9, leaving him in police custody for his birthday, which is today.

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