AN Ipswich man who became abusive towards police officers before the Ipswich v Colchester derby is more than £300 worse off today.James Johnstone, 38, of Foxhall Road, admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour when he appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court.

AN Ipswich man who became abusive towards police officers before the Ipswich v Colchester derby is more than £300 worse off today.

James Johnstone, 38, of Foxhall Road, admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour when he appeared at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court.

Now he may face a football banning order which could see him barred from matches around the country.

Andrea Reynolds, prosecuting, told the court Johnstone had been drinking in the doorway of the Drum and Monkey pub in Princes Street, Ipswich, around 6.45pm on October 23, before the game at Portman Road.

She said: “He was holding a pint of beer. He was witnessed to shout at police officers. There were members of the public walking past the pub who would have heard this.”

Unemployed scaffolder Johnstone was then told the leave the Drum and Monkey in Princes Street, which he did.

Ms Reynolds added: “Despite the police officers' attempts he continued to walk back to the Drum and Monkey and continued to put on a show for the public.

“He was plainly, in the view of the police, heavily intoxicated.

“He reeked of alcohol, was unsteady on his feet, very loud and animated.”

Police officers then saw Johnstone confront another man and Ms Reynolds said: “It was clear to the police that the male didn't want to engage with the defendant and he tried to walk away, so the police intervened.”

Johnstone was handcuffed and taken to Ipswich police station where he continued to be abusive to the officers.

Craig Marchant, mitigating, said: “He accepts that his behaviour was far more than would be considered to be reasonable.”

Magistrates ordered Johnstone to pay a £250 fine, £60 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

However they put off deciding if he would receive a football banning order to, an as yet undecided, date.

Does more need to be done to tackle abusive behaviour? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.