District judge David Cooper, who sits every Thursday at Colchester Magistrates’ Court,has said he would not be surprised if alcohol is one day reclassified as a dangerous drug.

This year, he has castigated a series of offenders who have appeared before him due to drink.

JANUARY Gary Grant, 23, of Valley Road, Dovercourt, attacked his girlfriend after downing 20 pints of beer. Mr Cooper condemned his “vile, thuggish behaviour”.

MARCH Danny Slogett, 33, of Gorse Way, Jaywick, had been drinking and taking cocaine when he grabbed a woman round the throat. Mr Cooper told him: “Hearing what you did made it sound hair-raising and really quite horrific.”

APRIL A hero lifeguard who helped save a drowning woman was branded a “Jekyll and Hyde character” after a drunken wrecking spree. Mr Cooper told Stephen Duggan, 20, of Douglas Road, Clacton: “One side of you is a drunken hooligan who caused a massive amount of damage – the other side is a brave young man.”

MAY Michael Richmond, 20, of Harcourt Avenue, Dovercourt, was appearing before Mr Cooper a second time. He was being sentenced for criminal damage and begged to be jailed to help him cut down his drinking.

Mr Cooper said he was only too happy to oblige and said: “I’m sorry I didn’t give you longer before.”

JULY William Cropper, 23, of Third Avenue, Frinton, was sentenced for assaulting two friends after a night out.

Mr Cooper said his record showed he was normally peaceful but had drunk too much and “made an ass of himself”.

“You are going to have to slow down, otherwise you are going to wind up inside,” he said.

AUGUST Mr Cooper hit out at Government policy after Frederick Brett, 45, of Harwich Road, Little Oakley, begged for more treatment for his alcohol addiction when he ended up in court for disorderly behaviour.

“The Government, in its wisdom, says I am not allowed to do that for offences not punishable by prison,” the district judge said.

“All I can do is impose a financial penalty. It’s yet another own-goal by the Government.”

DECEMBER Mr Cooper branded Lee Timmins “repellent” after he launched a drunken attack on a swan at a boating lake in Dovercourt.

He told Timmins, 20, of Alexandra Road, Harwich: “It was shameful behaviour. You were drunk but that is no excuse.”