A 42-year-old Douglas man has been given a conditional discharge for being found drunk in a public place.

Benjamin Joseph James Walker admitted the offence and was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain told the High Bailiff that police were called on May 26 at 11.34am by a member of the public who reported a man sitting on a bench at the rear of the Strand Shopping Centre, verbally abusing people.

When officers arrived they found Walker, who was described as smelling of alcohol and slurring his words.

They attempted to identify an address he could be taken to where someone could look after him, but he said he didn’t have anyone, and he was subsequently arrested for his own welfare.

Two officers helped him to their van as he was struggling to stand unsupported.

Defence advocate John Wright said that it was a one-off offence but Walker, who lives in Hillside Avenue, had a previous drink-related caution over five years ago.

‘Mr Walker got very drunk and he was in a public place. He wasn’t uncooperative, he just wasn’t capable of looking after himself.’

Mr Wright said that Walker lived with a partner so it was unclear why he had said he had no-one and this had perhaps been miscommunicated due to his drunken state.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes said that she had taken into account the fact that Walker had spent around six hours in police cells after his arrest.

She ordered him to pay the prosecution costs by July 26.