A MAN who urinated over his custody cell mattress said “I’m getting persecuted because I want to work” as he was taken from the dock in handcuffs.

Daniel Morrison had been arrested after damaging a door and window at Booth House homeless hostel as he was being thrown out for poor behaviour on November 11 last year.

The 22-year-old, of Oxford Road, Calne, spat in the face of Sgt Ian Thomas as he was arrested the day after. He caused £120-worth of damage to a cell at Gablecross police station when he urinated over the mattress.

Swindon Magistrates’ Court yesterday heard there was no pre-sentence report for Morrison as he had failed to turn up to appointments with the probation service.

JPs remanded Morrison, who suffers from mental health issues, in custody to appear before the Salisbury court on March 3 for sentence. They had left the court when the young man repeated claims he was being persecuted.