A 69-YEAR-OLD man shouted abuse at a neighbour who came to her door because of problems between him and her son and his friends who were coming home from the park.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Peter Robertson Christie was heard to use the words "slut" and "prostitute" before allegedly making a lewd comment involving a cucumber.

Christie, of Lion Street, Church, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.

Adrian Hollamby, prosecuting, said the defendant was known in the neighbourhood as Skippy and was also known to be a convicted paedophile.

"He has been causing problems, getting drunk and banging on people's windows," said Mr Hollamby. "On this occasion the witness went out because of his involvement with her son and his friends who were coming home from the park. The defendant was clearly drunk."

Gareth Price, defending, said that as far as his client was concerned it was other people who were behaving inappropriately.

"Since people learned of his previous conviction he has been assaulted and people have been knocking on his door," said Mr Price. "On this occasion he was out walking his dog and he was challenged by a number of youths. He says he was the victim rather than the aggressor. He accepts he used certain language but denies the comment involving a cucumber."