AN ALCOHOLIC who breached her anti-social behaviour order three days after coming out of prison has amassed more than £1,000 in criminal court charges.

Debbie Morris, 51, has repeatedly been in breach of the order since it was imposed at the end of last year and became homeless after being banned from entering Nythe following disputes with neighbours.

But after completing eight weeks of a 16-week prison sentence, Morris has now secured accommodation at Booth House and has promised to deal with her alcoholism.

Keith Ballinger, prosecuting at Swindon Magistrates Court on Friday, said: “The anti-social behaviour order has a number of prohibitions, which includes being in possession of an open container of alcohol in any street or public place within the borough of Swindon.

“The order was made in December of last year, and runs until October 2016. Ms Morris was released from prison on Tuesday of this week, following her last sentence for a breach of the order.

“On Thursday police got reports of someone shouting and swearing at people at Queens Park. Ms Morris does not accept she was doing that, but police located her there.

"The officer says there was a smell of alcohol, but she appeared to be coherent and in a much better state than they had previously seen her.

“She was holding a plastic bag with a large bottle of cider with the seal broken, so she was therefore arrested for breach of the order.

“There are a number of previous breaches with 18 breaches this year, and her last sentence was imprisonment imposed in August for 16 weeks in total.”

Linda Holmes, defending Morris, told District Judge Simon Cooper: “I am sure you equally feel that this is a matter that continues to go around in a vicious circle.

“She states she was not drunk and was on her way to her friends to drink the bottle. Having been out of prison for three days she had managed to find herself accommodation at Booth House.

“She feels whatever she does she is not going to be successful in the sense that whenever the police see her there is always some conversation between them wherever she is. An alcohol treatment requirement was put in the order on June, and she has not been compliant, but she has been given custodial sentences. She is saying now more than anything she needs help with her drinking.”

District Judge Cooper told Morris: “I know from my experience that you can be very vile indeed to people. You were not on this occasion. This prison sentence seems to have had at least some effect on you.

“You are 51 now, and unless you take some steps to sort your life out it will be too late.”

Morris was given a six-month community order with alcohol treatment requirements, and a further £180 victim surcharge.