A drunken man found unconscious on the stairs to a pub cellar has been jailed for seven months and 75 days.
Paul Cessford, 31, of Queens Croft, Kelso, appeared from custody and pleaded guilty to breaching an ASBO (antisocial behaviour order) prohibiting him from behaving in a drunken and disorderly manner at Roxburgh Street in the town on February 8. He also admitted being drunk and incapable at the Co-op in Roxburgh Street and again breaching his ASBO four days later.
Kate McGarvey, prosecuting, said police received an anonymous call saying the accused was extremely drunk and staggering along Roxburgh Street. She added: “He fell on the bonnet of a stationary vehicle, but police searched the area and couldn’t find him.”
A member of staff at the White Swan pub saw him stagger into the bar, banging from wall to wall. “She assumed he had left and then heard the sound of someone falling and found him unconscious, head first and face down, on the stairway to the cellar,” said Ms McGarvey.
An ambulance was called and Cessford was taken to Borders General Hospital and found to be suffering from “acute alcohol intoxication”. He was deemed unfit for police custody when complaining of hallucinations and transferred to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Four days later, Cessford staggered into the Co-op and headed for the alcohol aisle.
“He was guided into the warehouse, away from customers, but had slumped on the floor in a semi-conscious state, and an ambulance was called,” added Ms McGarvey.
Maureen Sinclair, defending, said her client was an alcoholic who had repeatedly committed similar offences since November 2010, adding: “He realises he is going to spend much of his life in prison if he keeps offending.”