A serial harasser has been told to "behave" by a judge after sending a violent drawing to a probation officer.

Damion De Burgh, of no fixed abode, appeared before Reading Crown Court today (February 26).

The 65 year old had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of putting a person in fear of violence by harassment.

This was in connection with a number of threatening messages De Burgh mailed to probation staff - including one he posted from prison while serving a brief sentence for harassment.

Among the messages was a drawing of a probation officer being hanged. Another - mailed from custody - included a tissue covered in De Burgh's blood.

In a letter included with the contaminated tissue, De Burgh claimed to have Covid-19.

The offending dates to between November 2020 and July 2021.

Despite De Burgh's guilty plea, he was conditionally discharged for nine months, after Judge Amjad Nawaz heard evidence of the defendant's poor health - making a prison sentence impractical.

The defendant visibly struggled to walk without assistance while in court.

Judge Nawaz also noted that De Burgh's once-prolific offending had tapered off recently.

The judge said of this: "If you put your mind to it, you can remain offence-free. I hope that can continue."