AN 18-year-old man who searched a group of Worcester schoolchildren as they walked home has been remanded in custody.

Benjamin Parkinson approached the young teenagers as they made their way through Mulberry Terrace in Tolladine, having been to a local youth club on the night of Friday, January 10.

He asked them for a light, but when they said they did not have one he began searching their pockets.

Lesley Ashton, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, said: "He started to search a young girl but she told him to get off and went to walk away. He grabbed her arm but then shook her hand."

Ms Ashton said the youths were all "frightened" by Parkinson and kept saying they had nothing. However, one was holding a PSP games console, which Parkinson offered to buy for £5 or "a fight", before putting it in his pocket.

Parkinson, of Poplar Avenue, Brickfields, pleaded guilty to charges of theft and using threatening words or behaviour, when he appeared at court on Thursday.

He also admitted three further charges; causing harassment, alarm or distress and assaulting a police officer, which were committed on Sunday, December 9, last year, plus a bail act offence for failing to attend court on Friday, December 21.

The court heard Parkinson had shouted and sworn at the police officer during the incident on December 9, before pushing him and attempting to trip him over following a night out. In relation to the incident with the youngsters Barry Newton, mitigating, said: "While things were said, there was no actual violence used. I accept the young age of the people but he made no threats of violence."

He added: "The root of his offending is his misuse of alcohol. He is trying to address that problem."

Parkinson was sentenced to 21 days in custody for the bail act offence, and was remanded in custody on the other matters. He will appear back at the magistrates court on Thursday, February 7, for sentence.