AN alcoholic pleaded guilty to breaching his anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) after he was picked up by police for standing among a group of rowdy friends.

James Leadbitter, who is barred from being drunk, abusive or threatening, as well as being banned from Middlesbrough town centre and congregating with a group of more than three people, was arrested outside Albert Park in August.

The court heard that the 53-year-old, of Princes Street, had been innocently sitting on a bench with a friend when a group of drunken former associates joined them and started to shout and swear.

John Freer, prosecuting, told Teesside Magistrates' Court that Leadbitter was not drunk or disorderly when he was arrested.

He said: "There is nothing to say that this man was actually drunk, shouting or swearing at the time. He was simply with a congregation of people who were."

Leadbitter was given an anti-social behaviour order in the summer when police were targeting people who were making Middlesbrough town centre a no-go area through their drunken antics and begging.

David Dedman, mitigating, said: "The only thing he has done is, he was with a group of people where one or two were misbehaving.

"He was arrested and they were not, and it has been difficult to explain to Mr Leadbitter why only he was arrested when he wasn't misbehaving."

He added: "He was concerned about coming to court.

"He is not taking this lightly, he knows it is serious and he knows the court is taking the breach very seriously."

Magistrates fined Leadbitter £150 for breaching his Asbo and he was also ordered to pay £30 towards court costs.

He also admitted breaching a conditional discharge for a public order offence and was given a new six-month order.