Nightmare neighbour Paul Coombes is behind bars after being caught in Oxford's Wood Farm estate just hours after being banned from the area.

Paul Coombes

Coombes, 40, returned to Wood Farm on Wednesday (May 18) night and abused residents before being arrested, just one day after being given an interim Asbo barring him from the estate.

He was evicted from his one-bedroom flat in Foresters Tower for plaguing residents for almost five years by playing loud music and being abusive and threatening.

He appeared at Oxford Magistrates Court yesterday, pleaded guilty to breaching the conditions of his interim Asbo, and was jailed for 28 days.

People living in Foresters Tower said they would be celebrating the end of Coombes' reign.

One woman said: "We will be bringing out the wine tonight. It's the best thing that could have happened. He's a menace to society. I didn't even want to go to the rubbish chute, you never knew where him and his gang would pop up next. He was very frightening."

City councillor Claire Kent said it was expected that Coombes would return and she was delighted he had been caught and jailed.

She said: "It's another bit of respite for the people of Wood Farm. It's a shame he won't be in for longer. It should sent out a message to those youths that looked up to him as their leader that we won't put up with antisocial behaviour."

At Oxford Magistrates Court yesterday, Paul Bevan, defending Coombes, said that he had returned to Wood Farm to pick up a sleeping bag as he couldn't get a place in the Oxford Night Shelter.

District Judge Brian Loosley said: "You knew an order would have been made against you, but within a matter of hours you committed a flagrant breach of the order. I hope that a short, sharp period in prison will be enough to make you come to your senses."

Coombes' 28 day sentence could be reduced to 14 days for good behaviour. He will appear in Oxford Magistrates Court on May 26 for a full Asbo hearing.