A PROLIFIC offender told a court he had spent less than one year out of jail in almost a decade as he celebrated narrowly avoiding another custodial sentence.

Callum Lewis Brown struggled to contain his excitement as he was slapped with a suspended sentence after admitting three counts of intimidating a witness.

The 24-year-old, who has a history of violence, failed to conceal a smile as he thanked magistrates profusely and repeatedly in Newton Aycliffe before going on to explain how he had served 14 prison sentences since the age of 15 - spending only 11 months as a free man in that time.

At the hearing on Wednesday, Brown appeared in the dock in handcuffs following an application from prosecutor Ansab Shan over abusive behaviour towards security staff.

Mr Shan told the court the defendant's latest offences, committed on Monday, saw him approach three people in the Spennymoor area, two at their home and one on Facebook, regarding a burglary and alleged criminal damage.

In the first instance Brown knocked on the door of a property he believed was the home of the victim of a burglary and who he understood had reported him to police as the culprit.

Brown, of Frederick Street, Seaham, then knocked at another home he believed had been burgled, demanding that he speak with the occupant’s husband.

In both cases the female victims told Brown they had not reported him and told police they had been left frightened by his “intimidating” behaviour.

Magistrates heard Brown had also posted on the Facebook wall of the son of a woman who is the alleged victim of criminal damage.

Brown, who interjected throughout, was told to "shut up" by chairman William Smith, and who insisted on speaking to the court, said the offences relating to the burglary, for which he was arrested for and released with no further action, were “a big misunderstanding”.

Clive Booth, mitigating, described his client as impulsive and lacking thinking skills, adding: “He had nothing to do with the burglary and if he hadn’t knocked on these doors he wouldn’t be in court.”

A probation officer said Brown was released from prison in August after serving a 28-month sentence for wounding.

He had been released in June 2016 but was recalled the following month.

Described as being at a “high risk” of re-offending, Brown was handed an 18-week custodial sentence, suspended for a year.

He was ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £115 victim surcharge.