A MAN has been told to work on his maturity after he walked down a town centre street in a mask, holding what appeared to be a baseball bat.

Richard Newman, 21, of Brooklands, Colchester, was drunk when he woke up in a friend’s stairwell and lashed out breaking a spindle, Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard.

He left the house barefoot with the piece of wood and walked into town when he was spotted by a concerned member of the public, who called police.

Stuart Cowen, prosecuting, said yesterday: “Police were called at 7.45pm to Crouch Street, Colchester, when a member of the public stated a male was walking up the street with a mask and a baseball bat.

“Police challenged him and he produced an 80cm staircase spindle and takes off an orange and black ski mask, a snood.

“He places the spindle on the floor and goes to his hands and knees before he is arrested.”

Newman, who has previous drugs convictions, works with children setting up bouncy castles.

He admitted one count of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.

He met with probation officers during the hearing, but they said he “hadn’t got a clue about the consequences of his actions”.

The court heard Newman had no intent to cause any harm by committing the offence but he had been “naive” to think there would be no consequences.

Shade Abiodun, mitigating, said: “He is remorseful for his actions and is disappointed he is back before the court.”

Magistrates told Newman to “work on his maturity” following the incident.

They added they hoped he now grasped the seriousness of the situation and said it was perfectly understandable a member of the public had called the police.

Newman was sentenced to a community order for a year.

During that time he must carry out the thinking skills programme, undertake five rehabilitation activity days and 40 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £170 to the court, including £85 costs and a £35 victim surcharge.

Magistrates made an order for the staircase spindle and ski mask to be seized and destroyed.