IPSWICH: A loutish drunk is up to his old tricks little more than a week after appearing on the front page of the Evening Star for having his jail term slashed.

Roy Hagley has been at it again – just a few days after his face appeared on news stands across Ipswich when an appeal judge reluctantly cut short his prison stay by seven months.

Judge Mr Justice Openshaw last week surmised Hagley would “no doubt offend again”, but ruled he had no choice other than to overturn the original ten-month sentence.

And his honour has been proved right after the 48-year-old alcoholic scrapped with a council worker before trashing a police cell.

Hagley admitted being unsure how he even ended up waiting in line to see Ipswich borough staff at about 3pm on Friday. But he became frustrated by the length of the queue, according to his solicitor, Mark Holt, who spoke for him the following day at South East Suffolk Magistrates’ Court. “He has no idea why he was there,” Mr Holt continued. “But he seemingly became agitated by the wait.”

Godfried Duah, prosecuting, had earlier explained how Hagley, of London Road, Ipswich, lashed out at a member of staff, throwing two punches before being restrained and arrested. “He was intoxicated and became abusive,” said Mr Duah.

And his behaviour didn’t improve when he reached Ipswich police station, where he first destroyed a fire alarm before decorating his cell walls with food and drink.

Hagley admitted causing the damage and a charge of disorderly behaviour and was allowed to leave court after spending the day in custody.

The prolific offender, with about 150 convictions to his name, was told at an appeal hearing on October 12 that he would not have to serve the remainder of a ten-month jail stretch for threatening and abusive behaviour and breaching an anti-social behaviour order, which banned him from carrying an open vessel of alcohol in public, on three separate occasions in just four weeks.

Mr Justice Openshaw, sitting at the Court of Appeal in London, felt that he had no choice but to free Hagley after ruling the ten-month sentence handed down by a judge at Ipswich Crown Court in July was excessive.

But the repeat offender was back in custody 10 days later and busy causing �210 damage to a prison cell, �150 of which he was ordered to pay in compensation.