TRAINEE shop worker Simon Drake appeared before magistrates following a police clamp down on people urinating in a public place.

Drake, 19, of Broadleas Park, Devizes, was fined £50 with £35 cost by Kennet Magistrates on Thursday when he admitted causing a nuisance by urinating in a public place.

Amanda Sawetz, prosecuting, said the Devizes Chamber of Commerce had written to the police complaining that shop keepers had to clean-up their doorways and yards because of this nuisance.

She said a police officer patrolling in a vehicle spotted Drake standing close to a wall in the West Central Car Park in Devizes and in the light of his headlamps could see that he was urinating.

The officer told Drake to stop but was ignored, said Miss Sawetz, and he continued urinating. After the teenager had finished, the police officer spoke to him and discovered he smelled strongly of alcohol and that his eyes were glazed.

There were public conveniences less than 100 yards away, the prosecutor told the magistrates.

Drake told the court: "What I did was inexcusable and I will not do it again."

Court chairman Sheila Copeland said: "We hope you will make every effort not to do this again."