A NOTORIOUS Carlisle nuisance prosecuted for his 199th offence told magistrates: “I’ve got a pizza waiting on the [prison] wing so I could do with you hurrying up.”

The latest prosecution of 46-year-old Andrew Bell, appearing in court via a video link from Durham Prison where he is being held, was characterised by his repeated bouts of laughter and tongue-in-cheek commentary.

Bell, who gave his address as Bitts Park, Carlisle, admitted being drunk and disorderly on April 28. It happened after police were asked to move him on from Carlisle’s Lonsdale Street bus station.

Staff feared that his behaviour would annoy customers.

Prosecutor George Shelley said bus station staff had asked Bell to leave because of his behaviour but he refused. As a result, the staff there called the police, asking them to move Bell on.

“Despite being drunk, he said he had a meeting with the Probation Service,” said Mr Shelley. “He was given a lift to there and while he was in the reception area he began shouting and swearing.

“He was saying that his property had no TV or toilet rolls. He was acting in an unruly manner and so was arrested for breach of the peace. While on the way to the police van, he acted in a drunk and disorderly manner.”

John Smith, defending, asked magistrates to impose a conditional discharge, pointing out that Bell’s offence could have been dealt with at the same time as another offence.

Though he was arrested for a breach of the peace, he was not acting outrageously, said Mr Smith. “It was only while he was on his way to the police van that behaved in a drunk and disorderly way.”

After laughing loudly as he sat in his Durham Prison video booth, Bell told magistrates about his waiting pizza, urging them to be quick. Magistrates did impose a conditional discharge, saying it would be for 12-months.

They told Bell that so long as he stays out of trouble, he will hear no more about the offence, though he will have to pay a £20 victim surcharge when he is released from prison.

Addressing the presiding magistrate directly, Bell responded with: “Very kind of you. It’s like a hotel in here; it’s an occupational hazard. I’ll drop off a bottle of cider for you when I get out.”

The magistrate replied: “It’s all down to yourself, Mr Bell. "Wasting prison time is not the done thing.”