A teenager who threatened to rape a female security guard was ordered to behave or face jail.

Zak Marsden, 15, of Portland Road, Hove, was placed under an anti-social behaviour order by Brighton magistrates after they heard of a catalogue of unpleasant behaviour.

Simon Court, prosecuting, read out a list of incidents involving Marsden, including threatening a security guard at Tesco in Station Road, Portslade, and spitting at an off-duty policeman on a bus.

Marsden was also stopped by police because he had been involved in a fight on June 21.

Mr Court said: "All the offences occur around alcohol, some appear to be drug-related and a lot of them occur late at night."

He admitted that although Marsden was often in the vicinity when offences occurred it had not been proved he was involved.

Marsden had reluctantly signed an unacceptable behaviour contract on April 1 but had broken it within a day.

Andreas Serghis, defending, said Marsden had not been charged with anything since then but did not contest the order on the basis of previous problems.

But he argued that there should not be a curfew attached.

He said: "It's scary to think that someone's liberty could be taken away on the basis of hearsay and unproven evidence.

"He acknowledges that he has an alcohol problem and has sought help."

A YMCA worker, who has helped Marsden, said: "This boy is being penalised because he is young and uneducated. He has no vision or ambition."

Magistrates placed Marsden under the interim order for two years and there will be a hearing for the full order in September.