ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour has halved in one part of the town centre – thanks to the departure of a single man.

Abdi Muse, pictured, had terrorised shopkeepers and residents in the Broadgreen area with his drunken behaviour, once even threatening a shop worker with a pair of scissors.

He had 31 arrests to his name in just 11 months, until he was jailed in December for common assault and abusive behaviour.

Now it has been revealed that since he was sent to prison, anti-social crime in Broadgreen has fallen by a whopping 47 per cent.

And it is believed he has now moved to Bristol.

The 44-year-old Somali, of no fixed address at time of being jailed, was described as a “pain in the backside” and a “Jekyll and Hyde” character because of his often violent alcohol problems.

Acting sergeant Mike Diffin, of the town centre policing team, said: “He’s certainly made a difference by not being here.

“I think certainly in the Somali community it’s a relief. At the end of the day shopkeepers are trying to run a business. The last thing they want is someone turning up and being disruptive.

“Out of five stores down there, three provided statements against him.

“He was just a pain in the backside. I got on with him very well, sober. But put a drink into him and he wants to fight everyone.

“It was a real Jekyll and Hyde. It’s very, very sad really. He needs medical or psychological help, but the system’s not in place for us to do that. We have to protect the community.”

He also praised the Somali community, who number in their hundreds in Broadgreen, for assisting the police when he finally proved too disruptive to handle.

One fellow Somali who knew him, 27-year-old Axmed Bahdad Ismail, said: “I gave two or three statements to police with regards to Abdi Muse.

“At the time, he was going through tough times. You have to look at both sides.

“When he wasn’t drunk, he was a gentleman. He was extremely polite, when he wasn’t drinking, very respectful and very tolerant of all people.

“It’s hard to say it’s glorious. I wouldn’t say I’m relieved. I wish wherever he is he can get along with his life, and maybe stop alcohol.”

Asked if he is likely to come back to Swindon, acting Sgt Diffin said: “There’s a possibility. He’s reappeared previously.”

But he added that it would be very easy to renew an ASBO stopping Muse from drinking in public or revisiting his old haunts in Broadgreen.

The figures for the 47 per cent drop come from official council statistics, compiled by its anti-social behaviour team.