A MAN who hurled abuse at carers visiting an elderly neighbour has appeared in court.

Aaron James Bell, was said to have sworn and threatened two carers when they came to see the neighbour at a block at flats in Roose Road.

Bell, 24, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour towards with intent to cause alarm or stress to the carers, Sean Ireland and Michelle Sanderson when he appeared in the dock at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court yesterday.

The court was told the offence took place on March 9 at around 8pm.

In a statement read out by prosecutor Pam Smith, Miss Sanderson said she and her colleague entered the flats to sign before being confronted by Bell.

She said: "We went inside through the front doors.

"Then we heard loud shouting at us from inside."

The court was told Bell questioned the two carers and repeatedly swore at them in an abusive manner.

The carers said they left the woman's home and heard further shouting at them by the defendant.

In mitigation, solicitor Michael Graham said Bell was looking out for the woman and spoke to her regularly.

He said: "It was a spontaneous reaction. He says hello to her every day and looks out for her."

The court was also told the man had suffered from depression and lost his grandmother, who was described as a positive influence on her behaviour, last December.

Magistrates handed the defendant a community order, telling him to carry out 110 hours of unpaid work in the community.

He was also given a curfew restricting him to his home address between 7pm and 7am for the next eight weeks.