THE Hampshire teenager who launched an arson attack against TV reporter Martin Bashir has become an eco-warrior prosecuted for trying to disrupt work on a controversial park-and-ride scheme.

Oliver Tate, 18, pleaded guilty yesterday to criminal damage at the contractors' compound in Bar End, Winchester, last month.

Tate, a bungee jump erector, of Brassey Road, Fulflood, was arrested after jumping on the fencing several times and knocking it over, Basingstoke Magistrates' Court heard.

He also clambered on a portable building before he was arrested by police on June 26, said Jan Brooks, prosecuting.

Tate was protesting at the controversial works which have destroyed grassland as part of a project for 420 car parking spaces.

But he was not sentenced because magistrates said they wanted to know more about an arson attack last year in which Tate torched a car and a bicycle.

Last October, a court heard that Tate had befriended and then fallen out with the then 14-year-old son of Mr Bashir, who became famous for his high profile television interviews with Princess Diana and Michael Jackson.

Tate was high on drink and drugs when, in a revenge attack, he set fire to the Toyota people carrier parked in Mr Bashir's drive in Oram's Arbour.

It was so badly damaged it had to be scrapped.

Police found him lying just yards from the blazing vehicle.

At court last October, his mother Nadya Tate told magistrates that he had been a bright pupil but had fallen foul of the system.

He dabbled in drugs including the Ketamine tranquilliser.

Last year he had been treated at an addiction clinic for his alcohol problems.

He was sentenced to a one-year referral order last October but could be resentenced for those offences as well as the recent criminal damage.

The latest case was adjourned until July 22 and Tate was released on bail on the condition that he does not to return to the site.

Mrs Brooks said: "Building has commenced on a new park-and-ride car park at Bar End.

"There has been an outcry from opponents of the development and security guards and fencing has been placed around the site.

"They heard banging and crashing coming from the southern perimeter of the site and they saw Tate throwing his body against the fences, damaging them and pushing them over."

The contractors Mildren Construction has applied for compensation of £150, a sum that is currently disputed.

Gavin Burnett, defending, said "Tate had probably had a few," but he made no attempt to resist capture and stayed at the scene "placid and dormant".