A chronic alcoholic swore at magistrates and told a probation worker to "sit down and shut up".

Ian Watson also blocked the path of prison officers coming up stairs to enter the dock at Colchester Magistrates' Court, telling them: "I'm not going anywhere."

Watson lost his temper as evidence against him was read out in court yesterday by probation worker Linda Double.

He had admitted breaching an order and was being re-sentenced for the original offences.

Watson, of Seaview Avenue, Little Oakley, became angry while Mrs Double was describing a public order offence he committed at Harwich Job Centre.

After a few hours in the cells, magistrates brought him back up for sentence.

They heard he was given an 18-month community rehabilitation order in November 2003 after breaching a conditional discharge.

The conditional discharge was breached when he admitted charges of criminal damage, possessing a bladed article and using threatening and abusive behaviour.

He breached the community rehabilitation order by turning up to Think First programme appointments drunk and being abusive and violent towards staff, Mrs Double said.

Russell Haldane, mitigating, said Watson had been battling with alcohol since the age of 12. "The use of alcohol is deeply entrenched and there is evidence he is a chronic alcoholic," he said.

For the possession of a bladed article a 12-inch kitchen knife found when police were called to Clacton on November 1, 2003 he was given a three-month prison sentence.

For both public order offences and both criminal damage offences he was given one month in custody each.

All the sentences will run concurrently, giving him a total of three months behind bars.

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Published Thursday, February 10, 2005

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