A POLICE cell door had to be professionally cleaned after a drunken thug showered it with spit just hours after he shouted about stabbing strangers in the street.

Viaceslavas Scerbakovas, 36, was hauled into custody after worried members of the public reported his threatening behaviour to the police.

The first call came in on Sunday, November 24, when officers responded a call reporting the drunken Scerbakovas was wandering up North Hill, Colchester, shouting obscenities.

Louise Maples, prosecuting at Colchester Magistrates’ Court, described how the Lithuanian national was initially let off with a warning.

She said: “Police received a call from a concerned member of the public, who said they had seen the defendant walking up North Hill shouting.

“He appeared to be trying to get other members of the public to fight him.

“When police arrived, they found the defendant sitting on a bench at the top of North Hill.

“They have spoken with him and during the conversation he swore in response to questions posed by the officers.

“He was warned by the officers about his language.”

Later that day, police again received calls from worried members of the public about Scerbakovas’ behaviour.

Miss Maples said: “They reported he was walking near the Spar in High Street, Colchester, shouting something about wanting to stab people.

“Officers re-attended and found him in the toilets and arrested him on suspicion of committing a public order offence.

“On November 25, a sergeant attended the cell and found spit on the cell door covering the observation hatch.

“This required the out-of-hours on call cleaner to come and remove the spit from the screen at a cost of £70.”

Scerbakovas, who lives in supported accommodation in Langham, admitted using threatening words or behaviour and criminal damage.

Representing himself, he said he is jobless and still living off money he received from his last paid work several months ago.

He admitted he couldn’t remember the incidents as he was drunk.

A spokesman for the group helping Scerbakovas’ addressed magistrates in court.

He said: “We support him so he doesn’t have to pay to live there.

“He came to us on December 12 last year and from that time he doesn’t drink.

“He is not allowed to drink on our premises.”

Scerbakovas must pay £182 in fines and compensation for the damaged door.