A CASTLEMORTON man has been ordered to start paying off more than £3,000 in fines and compensation, or face jail.

Worcester magistrates warned Dick Dawe that he would serve a 45-day sentence unless £5 was paid by Friday.

Dawe told the court he did not want to talk about the issue and appealed for the matters to be adjourned.

"I haven't got my papers with me, and I know nothing about these payments. This was jumped on me," he said.

But court clerk Peter Love said that the bench had to consider the issue as Dawe owed around £3,000 in fines, compensation and costs.

Dawe of Hollybed Street, was fined £150 for causing harassment, alarm and distress in June 1998, but had paid only £9.

In August, 1998, Dawe was told to pay £100 and £60 costs after being convicted of causing harassment, alarm and distress.

The following month he was fined £100 and ordered to pay £100 costs for sending a malicious communication.

In October that year, Worcester Crown Court told Dawe to pay £1,430 compensation after a conviction for wounding.

A common assault conviction in November 1998 left him with a compensation bill of £50 as well as £175 costs.

The magistrates were told he had paid £6 of a £150 bill for Legal Aid awarded in July, 1999.

And in March this year he was ordered to pay £1,000 in costs after he was made the subject of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

Dawe offered to pay the outstanding amounts at £1 a week, but the magistrates refused his offer and told him to start paying at £5 a week from this Friday.

He was given a suspended 45-day jail sentence that would come into force if he carried on ignoring the debts.