'a bit silly' Drunk man swore at people who wouldn't help pull up his pants 'because of Irish accent'

An angry drunk man who swore at children and adults outside an ASDA shop, claiming nobody would help him pull his pants up because of his Irish accent, told a court he had been “a bit silly". 

Paul Lewis (39) lost a hand in a childhood accident and suffered lifelong disfigurement which has left him battling with trauma.

Lewis, who gave an address of St Paul's Hostel in Tallow Hill, Worcester, had been “abusive to members of the public, including children” in St Martin's Quarter at 4pm on November 5.

He was later found by police lying in a puddle of urine in an alleyway off Lowesmoor.

He claimed nobody would help him pull his pants up because of his Irish accent, explaining that he struggled to do it himself after suffering a fall and breaking his shoulder.

He admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress when he appeared before city magistrates on Thursday.

He further admitted possession of a class B drug – amphetamine on the same date.

Prosecutor Eleanor Peart told the court, reports came to police of “an intoxicated male with his trousers falling down being abusive to members of the public, including children”.

Officers later found him “lying in an alleyway near the Firefly in a puddle of urine”.

"It was apparent he was intoxicated. He continued swearing profusely,” Ms Peart said. “Again, members of the public, including children, were present.”

Lewis said he felt he was being mistaken for somebody else and when he was searched the amphetamines were found.

Lewis said in a police interview on November 14 last year that he had broken his arm and had been trying to get members of the public to help him pull his trousers up.

“They won't help me because they think I'm Irish straight away,” Lewis, who represented himself at the hearing, said.

“I just couldn't understand why nobody would help me. I could not understand that day why nobody was listening to me."

He explained that November 5 was the seventh anniversary of the death of a member of his foster family and that he “really just wanted the day to go quickly".

He indicated that he wanted further help to address his “alcohol trouble” as he was “still having relapses now and then”.

"I have just been a bit silly" he said. When asked if he was sorry for what he had done by the bench he replied: "Very, very."

Lewis, who had been in foster care since he was 13, further explained that he had PTSD following an accident.

Magistrates fined him £80 for possession of the amphetamines. He was also ordered to make a contribution towards court costs of £185 and pay a victim surcharge of £34. The bench also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drug.