A MAN yesterday begged a judge to lock him up rather than force him to live in the North Yorkshire town of Richmond.

John Bailey, 46, said his life was made hell by drug addicts.

Bailey, who lives alone after his mother moved to an old people's home, said a gang of eight had robbed and threatened him.

He told Judge Peter Bowers: "I don't want to go back to Richmond, Your Honour, on no account."

Bailey's barrister, Christine Egerton, said: "I have instructions from the defendant that Your Honour sends him to custody for as long as you can.

"He cannot cope on his own, and he now wishes to be in custody because he feels safer."

Bailey was due for sentence at Teesside Crown Court for assaulting a police officer.

He admitted slapping the officer on September 7 when he lost his temper after asking for help. He breached a 12-month suspended jail sentence for affray and attempted robbery.

Judge Bowers said: "I cannot use custody as a therapy treatment. I could not give him any longer than 12 months and the likelihood is that he would be out in a month and tagged."

The judge asked probation staff to try to arrange a council house swap to another town or a hostel place.

Bailey, of Willance Grove, Richmond, was remanded in custody until tomorrow.