When Michael Wardle arrived at a police station to see his ex-wife, he was found with an illegal drug.
Police searched the 23-year-old after he struggled to keep his eyes open during conversation and was slurring his words.
Wardle, of Bountrees, Jedburgh, admitted having diazepam at Galashiels police station on April 4.
Prosecuting, Tessa Bradley said: “He attended at the police station at 11.30pm as his estranged wife had been arrested and he wanted to contact her.
“He appeared to be heavily under the influence of some sort of substance. He was slurring his words and his eyes kept closing as he was speaking to the police.
“He was detained and searched, and one Diazepam tablet found, which he said was a painkiller.”
Due to his state, Wardle was taken to Borders General Hospital for treatment and released into police custody at 2.20am. He was taken to Hawick police station for a further search, including a strip search.
Ms Bradley went on: “As this was happening, he took something from his shorts, placed it in his mouth and tried to swallow it.”
A further quantity of 29 blue tablets was found in a plastic bag.
Wardle pleaded guilty to obstructing police officers during a search and possession of Diazepam at Hawick police station on April 5.
Added the prosecutor: “He was handcuffed and hit himself on the head with the handcuffs, so had to be taken back to Borders General Hospital.
“He was released at 4.30am and taken back to the police station.”
Wardle’s lawyer, Mat Patrick, said his client had successfully completed a DTTO (Drug Treatment and Testing Order) in 2010, but had been struggling in the past seven to eight months, adding: “His drug use it nothing like it was.”
Sheriff Peter Paterson fined Wardle a total of £350.