A YOUNG man who repeatedly flouted anti-social behaviour orders was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work for the community.

When 21-year-old Marcus Ball was arrested he told the police: "F*** the Asbo."

He had been committed by Gwent magistrates for sentence at Cardiff Crown Court for five breaches of an Asbo and resisting a police constable.

Judge Nicholas Cooke warned him: "If you don't obey these orders you will be locked up."

He added: "Mess up and you will spend your life in prison. Turn around and you can enjoy your life like the rest of us."

The Judge said he had to get across the message that such behaviour must stop.

"You behaved very badly and you wasted a lot of money," he said.

The Judge pointed out the maximum sentence was five years imprisonment.

He also said that Ball, of Broadmead Park, Newport, was "not the brightest of men."

Prosecutor Nicola Powell said Ball was made subject to an Asbo on March 14, 2006 and among the conditions was that he must not enter Moorland Park or the Broadmead Park estate except to go to the home of his mother, via a back door route.

However on January 13 he was seen on the Broadmead Park estate on a motorcycle and fled from the scene.

On February 1 he was seen in the same area outside premises from which he was banned and he was carrying an open bottle of lager and a metal sword shaped letter opener.

A police officer arrived on the scene and was forced to restrain Ball.

The court heard he had previous convictions for breaching Asbos.

His counsel Andrew Morton said: "He has had no structure to his life. His mother thankfully has been a positive influence and she has attempted to move from the area."