STAFF barricaded themselves inside a store to thwart an abusive man, a court heard.

Darren George, 36, was told to leave Weymouth's branch of B&Q after the manager saw him place items down his trousers and in his back pockets on September 21.

George, of Lansdowne Square, Weymouth, then pretended to have a fainting fit, prosecutor Elizabeth Valera said.

"Mr George put his hand over his eyes and started to sway from side to side and said he needed a glass of water.

"The manager said: 'You need to leave the store now'," Miss Valera said.

Weymouth magistrates were told George swore at the manager and denied having anything in his pockets.

He then swore at the manager a second time and told him he knew where he lived.

Two minutes later George returned to the Jubilee Retail Park store, the court heard.

Magistrates were told B&Q staff barricaded the door and refused George entry but he began to be abusive to them from the other side of the door.

Miss Valera said: "A number of members of the public could not go in while all this was going on."

When police officers arrested George and took him to the station, he told them he was too drunk to remember the incident.

George, representing himself, said: "I came from Bristol to get away from it due to a relationship breaking up and I hit the drink and drugs again.

"I'm now alcohol free and drug free and since I left prison I have been free from illegal substances.

"If I met the people from B&Q today, I would apologise without a shadow of a doubt."

George pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Magistrates gave George a three- month conditional discharge and made no order for costs.