A man was escorted from Bedford Magistrates' Court by police last Friday after he told witnesses they would "burn in hell".

Adrian Murray, 29, attended court to appeal against an £80 fine he received last August for threatening a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO).

District Judge Nicholas Leigh Smith warned the defendant on several occasions, to watch his language and not to interrupt while witnesses were giving evidence.

The former John Bunyan Upper School pupil was found guilty of causing a public disorder and fined £265. Police officers were called to lead the defendant from the court building so he could not cause any further disturbance.

The court heard Mr Murray, from Harringay in London, was stopped outside Debenhams by PC Sandra Elliott, PCSO Angelina Aylward and PCSO Rachel Dunigan last August, after a store security guard saw him acting suspiciously.

Mr Murray insisted he had not done anything wrong, but became abusive.
PCSO Aylward told the court: "I heard him say to PC Elliott that she was a scrawny a***d b***h and she will rot in hell so I took a step forward. I feared for PC Elliott's safety.

"He nodded at me and said, 'I do not know what you are, are you a man?' and said I should be ashamed of myself."

Mr Murray, who had been visiting his uncle in Bedford, was taken to Greyfriars police station, but was not arrested.

He was allowed to leave the station when he had calmed down, but then met PCSO Aylward outside where she was smoking a cigarette alongside PCSO Dunigan.

PCSO Aylward added: "PCSO Dunigan told Mr Murray to go home and as I walked away I waved my hand behind me as a gesture that I wanted him to go away.

"He screamed, 'You dare to stick fingers up at me.' He said 'I'm going to follow your scrawny a**e all the way home.' I felt extremely worried and intimidated."

Mr Murray was arrested and given an £80 fine.

He appeared in court wearing a black cardigan, blue jeans, silver shoes, cats eyes contact lenses and holding a silver shoulder bag.

The defendant said: "She (PCSO Aylward) can burn in hell as far as I'm concerned. Police abuse their authority, may God have mercy on your soul if you judge me.

"She is a liar, she took the mickey out of me being gay and I wanted to get her details. I swear, God strike me down where I stand, they were laughing at me.

"It's all just lies and deception, I was like, how dare you ridicule me in Bedford town centre.

"I feel they focused on me because of the way I looked. I was told to f**k off you q***r b*****d, I told PC Elliott she was going to burn in hell."

Mr Murray, who was representing himself, added: "There is only one person who will judge all of you and that is the higher being
"It would make me look mad if I was swearing at the public. Getting in people's faces is not my style babe."

Justice Smith said he had seen Mr Murray's manner in court and the witness box and could not believe a police officer would conduct herself in such a way.