POLICE officers arrested a wanted man outside court on suspicion of assault, criminal damage and stalking after he appeared there on other matters.

Billy Watts appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday after breaching a suspended sentence order imposed for possession of an offensive weapon.

The 23-year-old of Cleeve Drive, Worcester, was facing possible activation of a six month prison sentence which had been suspended for two years, imposed for possession of an offensive weapon (a piece of wood).

However, two officers attended the court, one of them telling the judge that they needed to interview Watts about three other alleged domestic offences in relation to his ex-partner including assault, criminal damage and stalking.

John Brotherton, prosecuting, said Watts failed to attend probation appointments on June 12 and June 20 (the day of the court appearance) which resulted in the breach proceedings being launched against him.

Mr Brotherton said Watts was supposed to attend the probation service appointment at the police station in Worcester at 12.30pm that day.

He said: "I've been told he didn't attend the police station because probation is (based) at the police station now and he knew he was wanted."

The court heard how Watts had originally been subject to a sentence of six months in prison suspended for 18 months, 180 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days. This was imposed for possession of an offensive weapon in Oxford on October 31, 2017.

However, because of an earlier breach (failure to attend supervision appointments on April 2 and May 10) this was varied at Worcester Crown Court on January 25 this year. The length of suspension was extended from 18 months to two years.

Mr Brotherton said he understood Watts had completed both the unpaid work hours and the rehabilitation activity days.

He said: "Probation are concerned that the risk (he poses) has increased."

Judge Nicolas Cartwright said: "Given that he has completed his rehabilitation activity requirement days it seems I'm bound to find it would be unjust to activate the suspended sentence by virtue of the fact he's failed to attend an appointment today at 12.30pm knowing he was going to be arrested or an appointment last week on June 12."

The judge added two days (14 hours) of unpaid work to the existing order.

When Watts left the court he was escorted by two police officers to the station to be interviewed.