A MUSSELBURGH man has been told he is lucky not to have been jailed after he flouted a court-imposed anti-social behaviour order (ASBO).

Jordan Marchant was ordered not to shout, swear or use aggressive or intimidating language at his home during a court hearing in March.

Marchant, of Goose Green Avenue, was also placed on a community order involving unpaid work in the community for a previous offence.

But the 29-year-old was reported to police for abusive behaviour by shouting and swearing at the property on August 9.

He was ordered back to Edinburgh Sheriff Court, where he appeared in front of Sheriff Kenneth Maciver, who told him he would “have no complaint at all if I send you to jail today”.

The sheriff described Marchant’s behaviour as “appalling” but said he was “prepared to give you an opportunity” to stay out of trouble.

Defence lawyer Cameron Tait said his client, who works as a chicken shed cleaner, had only breached the order for the first time and that he still had 122 hours out of a total of 225 hours to complete. He said that Marchant had previous difficulties with cannabis but recent testing has showed he was now clean.

Sheriff Maciver added: “I honestly do not think you will avoid custody if you appear before this court again.”

Sentence was deferred to December 16.