A soccer playing football thug who breached a banning order has been handed a second by magistrates and branded the decision "pathetic."

Window cleaner Mark Peter Hamer, 23, stormed out of Burnley Magistrates Court after he was told he was getting a new three-year order. His previous order had two years left to run.

The justices had heard how Hamer, who plays football in the East Lancs League, had flouted his banning order by not signing on at the police station and failing to surrender his passport.

The defendant, of Olivant Street, Burnley, had admitted two counts of breaching the order, between last November 7 and 12.

He was fined £100, with £75 costs by the bench who told him such not complying with orders acted to frustrate their smooth running.

Prosecutor Sophie Lorimer, told the court Hamer was given a three-year banning order last July by Manchester City Magistrates, after being convicted of a public order offence.

He had also received 240 hours' community punish-ment.

When England played abroad against Argentina last November, the defendant was sent a letter by police, telling him to surrender his passport to report to the police station on the day of the match.

Mrs Lorimer said Hamer failed to comply and was later arrested and interviewed. He accepted he was fully aware of the requirements of the banning order. She added Hamer had previously received warning letters about breaches over the England Denmark match.

Philip Turner, defending, said Hamer had been in the habit of turning up at the police station on the day of the match and taking his passport with him. He had been told in the past he shouldn't do it, but no action had been taken.

Hamer had meant to go to the police station with his passport on the day but he had played football that afternoon and by the time the game had finished, the time to surrender his passport had passed and he didn't go.

Mr Turner continued: "In his own mind and how he rationalised it was that he was not in Switzerland, he was not causing trouble, he had not been going to games, not been trying to watch matches and was doing no harm."

The solicitor said it was not suggested the defendant had been involved in any disorder since the offence for which the order was made.

He added there were no grounds for extending the football banning order as it was to last another two years.