A homeless man’s irrational and disgraceful behaviour may have been triggered by the drugs and alcohol handed to him on the streets, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

Julius Vavrek was physically and verbally abused when down on his luck after losing his job as a painter and decorator during the Covid-19 pandemic, his barrister told Bradford Crown Court today.

The 51-year-old Czech national said his “best treatment” while penniless on the streets of Bradford was to receive people’s leftover alcohol and partial spliffs.

He went on to trespass at student accommodation in the city and to commit offences of damage, carrying blades and spitting at and kicking police officers.

Prosecutor Caroline Abraham said Vavrek had 14 previous convictions for 24 offences, including dishonesty matters and criminal damage, but none was committed in the United Kingdom.

On November 3, 2020, he turned up at student accommodation in Morley Street and smashed a window worth up to £500.

He was arrested and began spitting in the police cell area. He was taken to Bradford Royal Infirmary after complaining of chest pains and shortness of breath.

Miss Abraham said Vavrek called a female officer a prostitute and spat in her face.

The following month he was asked to leave the Next store on Forster Square Retail Park in Bradford because he was intoxicated. Afterwards, he punched a car parked nearby causing £200 damage.

The vehicle, used by the owner when he worked for a taxi firm, was described as “his pride and joy.”

Vavrek spat on the floor at the police station, spat at a male officer and kicked a female officer on the leg.

He was then caught carrying blades at student accommodation at Laisteridge Lane, Lit-tle Horton, Bradford, on January 21 last year, and again on Ingleby Street on February 4.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting the police officers, two offences of criminal damage and two of possession of a bladed article.

His barrister, Soheil Khan, said he has been in custody for at least eight months.

He urged the court to impose a sentence that allowed for his release soon, rather than immediately, because he had nowhere to go.

Judge Ahmed Nadim said Vavrek had behaved in a “disgusting and disgraceful” manner towards the police.

It was not in the public interest to pass a sentence that meant he would be released back on to the streets.

It was “an unfortunate situation to say the least” but Vavrek was an ongoing risk of be-having irrationally and criminally again to the detriment of society if he didn’t have a home to go to.

The public interest required him to have “a check and balance” on his behaviour and a place to go when he was freed from prison, Judge Nadim said.

The case was adjourned until February 4 so that arrangements could be put in place to secure housing for him.