A MAN has been banned from entering a town centre cafe after he was convicted of using threatening language towards its owner.

John George Dillon appeared at South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to the charge.

He was said to have verbally abused Steve Hartley, the owner of Poppies Cafe and Bistro in Ulverston, on February 12.

Dillon, 38, was due to stand trial for the charge but changed his plea when he appeared before magistrates.

The court heard the defendant had thrown a Lucozade bottle at the window of the Union Street cafe, then entered and used threatening, abusive or insulting words with intent to cause the victim alarm or distress.

The defendant and the victim are said to be known to each other.

Dillon, of Larch Grove in Ulverston, was sentenced to a fine and handed a restraining order.

Magistrates banned him from entering the cafe for the next 12 months.

They also told him to pay a fine of £40 and victim surcharge of £30.

He was ordered to pay £85 in court costs

Handing out the sentence to the defendant, chairman of the bench Charles Crewdson said: “I have heard about the challenges you have faced in your life.

“Well done for pleading guilty and not taking this longer than it needs to be.

“What you did was wrong and we are going to have to punish you for that.”