A MAN who received a suspended jail sentence eight months ago, after pleading with a judge not to imprison him, was locked up yesterday.

When he appeared before Bradford Crown Court last August, Aaron Coates, 20, told Judge Colin Burn that he had been badly bullied while locked up on remand.

Coates was in court then for racially abusing a young mother while "off his face" on drink and drugs.

At the time, Judge Burn described Coates' behaviour as "pretty appalling", before sentencing him to 12 months' custody, suspended for two years, with two years' supervision and a 12-month alcohol treatment requirement.

Yesterday, Judge Burn sent Coates - who wept in the dock - to prison for breaching the terms of his sentence. The court heard that Coates had failed to turn up to three supervision meetings in November and December last year, caused criminal damage to two cars by throwing stones at them, and was drunk and disorderly.

Stephen Wood, representing Coates, told the court that his client had an "enduring personality disorder".

Judge Burn told Coates: "I am activating the suspended sentence order. In your case I think it is the only way you might get some intervention.

"I am activating the sentence partly for rehabilitative reasons, as well as punitive reasons.

"Take advantage of whatever help you may get. Once you are released from this sentence you effectively have a clean slate."

Judge Burn handed Coates 28 days' imprisonment for each criminal damage charge, to run concurrently with the longer sentence.

Last August, the court heard that Coates, of Manningham Lane, had targeted a woman outside a newsagent shop on Oak Lane, Manningham, leaving her too distressed to go out. He taunted her with "a mock Asian accent" and swore at her, leaving her scared and shaking.

Coates then staggered drunkenly across the road and punched out angrily at a bus stop where a 16-year-old boy was standing.

He demanded the teenager's phone and money, threatening to beat him up if he did not comply.

His barrister, Gerald Hendron, told the court at the time that Coates suffered traumatic experiences when he was 11 and became addicted to drugs and alcohol.

Mr Hendron said Coates himself was of dual heritage and he had learned his lesson.

At the time, Judge Burn said: "It was the raving of a drunk with psychological problems."