A teenager remanded in custody overnight for "cursing" at a magistrate while on charges of assaulting a Police officer was given a conditional discharge yesterday.

Andre Martin, 18, of Pembroke, was granted the reprieve on condition he write a letter of apology to the Police Inspector he assaulted.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Plea Court to assaulting the officer, resisting arrest and using threatening words.

Yesterday the court heard that Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner had bound him over on Tuesday after he started insulting him.

On Monday, Martin knocked a Police officer as he brushed past him in Victoria Street, Hamilton.

When officers asked what his problem was, Martin said: "What the f***?" He resisted arrest and officers then had to use pepper spray to subdue him.

Martin had claimed it was the officers who bumped into him and that six of them had then 'jumped him'. But as Mr. Warner started questioning him on Tuesday, Martin said: "You are saying stupid s*** to me now. I want to go up there and kick his a**."

Court officers escorted him out of the court room.

Yesterday, Mr. Warner told the teenager "fairness" was his priority in sentencing.

"Just because you cussed me I can't be vindictive. I get cussed here every day," said Mr. Warner.

"I'm still minded to give you a conditional discharge but I can only do that if I'm satisfied you are truly remorseful.

"Do you know what a criminal conviction would do for your future, young man?"

Martin, a business and hospitality college student, replied: "Tarnish it."

Mr. Warner said: "If you don't change your attitude, your life and where you're going, you will be spending a lot of time at Westgate."

He gave Martin a year's conditional discharge, on condition he write to the Police Commissioner with an apology to the Inspector he assaulted, "apologising for your behaviour".