These are the FIVE street drinkers banned from Swindon town centre spots

Keith Ferguson was said to have "stuck out his backside and shouted 'my arse'" in the direction of officers. The 54-year-old denied he was accosting police officers, telling the court: “What makes you think that was about the Old Bill? I do things like that. What's offensive about that?”

Now, a court injunction will stop the men from entering the bus station, Wharf Green, Havelock Square and Theatre Square.

District Judge Peter Hatvany made the 18-month order after hearing the men were part of a group of habitual street drinkers who congregated in the centre, drinking, urinating, using the ladies' toilets at the bus station, fighting and swearing.

An order currently exists, banning people from drinking in the town centre. But police cannot arrest people simply for drinking in the area, instead pouring away the alcohol and moving them on.“The police do what they can, but the problem is simply moved elsewhere,” the district judge said.

Keith Ferguson, 54, Luke King, 34, Nathan Hagen, 24, Thomas Fox, 50, and Paul Hillier, 50, were all banned from carrying alcohol anywhere in the town centre, either in an open or closed container. And the group have been told they cannot shout, swear or act aggressively towards anyone anywhere in Swindon.

Nathan Hagen and Thomas Fox

If they flout the 18-month court order, the men could be arrested and find themselves before the court.

Bottom waving and drunk and disorderly charges

Swindon Borough Council brought the court order, with support from Wiltshire Police’s town centre officers.

Francis Maples, borough solicitor, presented papers listing more than 125 separate incidents in the past year where the five men had been drunk and disorderly, drinking in public or implicated in criminal behaviour.

Listed among the incidents, the court heard Mr King had been convicted earlier this year for being drunk and disorderly on Regent Street in November. After attempting to help himself to food he was seen shouting obscenities at staff in the Banquet Chinese restaurant, who had barricaded themselves in the building.

Oriental Banquet, Regent Street Picture: GOOGLE

Mr Ferguson was said to have "stuck out his backside and shouted 'my arse'" in the direction of police in the bus station. The 54-year-old denied this, saying: “What makes you think that was about the Old Bill? I do things like that. What's offensive about that?”

Impact of behaviour

Mr Maples said his incidents log could have gone back even further: “This is a long running saga.” PCSO Charles Milne, who was called to the witness stand, suggested the evidence presented could be the “tip of the iceberg”.

Andrew Lucas, secretary of the Swindon Taxi Association, said the problem had been getting steadily worse since the closure of the old Carfax medical centre. The presence of the drinkers near the ladies’ toilets at the bus station and the taxi rank on New Bridge Close was costing his colleagues paying customers and causing “worry and anguish”, he said in a statement presented to the court.

Attempts to defend themselves

Four out of the five men named on the injunction turned up at court.

In an occasionally shambolic display, which saw one of the respondents storm out of the court and another refer to District Judge Peter Hatvany as “judgie”, two of the men attempted to defend their own behaviour.

Luke King, 34, said: “I’ll hold my hands up to some of this, but some of this is rubbish.” At this point, Hagen muttered, “Amen”.

“You’ve all made your minds up,” King shouted, prompting District Judge Hatvany to warn him he could be held in contempt of court if he continued to interrupt court proceedings.

Keith Ferguson, 54, who swore his oath in a faux-Jamaican accent, told the court his mother had been diagnosed with cancer. He had recently become a father, initially suggesting he would have to leave the proceedings early to look after his 13-week-old daughter.

He stressed to the judge that he made sure to put his litter in the bin.

Keith Ferguson and Luke King

Nathan Hagen and Thomas Fox, also present at the hearing, remained largely quiet throughout the proceedings. Fox's mother, Valerie Powell, said her son - who has had two strokes - had begun drinking heavily after the death of his dog two-years-ago. He knew he should not drink in the town centre, but was prone to forgetfulness.

Paul Hillier did not attend court.

When none of the respondents initially turned up to the afternoon session after lunch, the court was told a PCSO Steve Wade had seen Hagen, King and Ferguson apparently drinking alcohol at a bus stop on Corporation Street.

Action against a sixth man, Stuart Cambridge, had been dropped. The court heard Mr Cambridge had managed to get himself sober and had been offered a one-bedroom flat through the council.

Praising Mr Cambridge's efforts, District Judge Hatvany said: “The real culprit behind all of this is the addiction or excessive consumption of alcohol, which is in itself not an issue, but when it starts to affect other members of the public going about their ordinary business it becomes an issue.”

Reaction from borough and police

Reacting to the case, Cherry Jones, council director of public health, said: “The behaviour of these individuals was simply not acceptable and we have a duty to ensure that people are kept safe and are not subjected to the type of anti-social behaviour that was presented before the court.

“Taking out an injunction like this is always a last resort because we want to work with people who need our help and support."

PC Paul Bezzant

PC Paul Bezzant, town centre communicator, added: "We know how much this type of anti-social behaviour concerns, annoys and frustrates local residents, and we believe this will help make the town centre a more pleasant place for people to work, visit and socialise in.

“We are committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and taking action against those who create these problems. We would encourage people to continue to report incidents."