A MAN who smashed his way into his father's home was remanded in custody yesterday to await sentence.

Simon Ostler, prosecuting, told Harrogate magistrates, that Richard Atkinson, 35, who is also known as Richard Halliday, was drinking from a wine bottle when he banged on his father's front door and demanded to go in.

His father, Jack Halliday, asked him twice to leave but Atkinson turned abusive and aggressive, kicking at the front door and breaking two panes of glass.

The court heard that when Atkinson tried to climb through one of the holes in the glass, Mr Halliday's friend, Irene Meredith, dialled 999 and the police arrived.

Mr Ostler said Atkinson, of Albany Avenue, Harrogate, turned his violence on officers who arrested him.

He struggled in an effort to stay out of the police van and, once through the rear door, he sat down with his feet sticking out so it could not be closed.

When PC Michael Oliver tried to get his legs inside Atkinson laughed, spat at him and claimed to be suffering from hepatitis C.

Atkinson pleaded guilty, via a television link between the court and Hull Prison, to assault, threatening behaviour and damage.

An affray charge was dropped.

His solicitor, Geoffrey Boothby, said Atkinson had been on licence at the time of the offences, released after serving part of a 40-month sentence imposed in March last year for robbery.

A 60-day recall had also been activated in respect of a prison sentence in 1998.

Atkinson was sent for sentence at Leeds Crown Court on a date to be fixed. He was remanded in custody