Campaigner wears placard during court appeal hearing

Allen Vincent wore the sign during an appeal hearing at Sheffield Crown Court during which he also taped up his mouth and wore a placard proclaiming his disabilities.

The 41-year-old former car salesman was appealing against his conviction and sentence by magistrates for criminal damage to a police cell.

He suffers from autism and Aspergers syndrome and is campaigning against what he calls his unlawful treatment.

He won a partial victory, in that an order to pay costs and compensation was quashed, but he will still have to serve a 12-month community order.

The court heard Mr Vincent, from Tait Avenue in Edlington, was arrested on February 28 for breaching his bail conditions and was detained in a cell at Doncaster police station.

A nurse attended to assess his fitness, but he refused to co-operate and the next morning was found naked. He had covered himself with excrement and written on the walls.

Mr Vincent said he did not accept he had caused damage to the cell and had been unlawfully arrested several times.

Delivering his judgement, Recorder Ian Harris said the court had sympathy with his medical problems but Mr Vincent knew what he was doing in the cell.

Mr Vincent was given the 12-month community order at Doncaster Magistrates Court back in May.