Drunk man staggered into wrong house and fell asleep on bathroom floor
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A homeward-bound drunk man went upstairs and fell asleep on the bathroom floor. The trouble was, Andrew Costello (49) was in the wrong house.
His home was two doors further along St Andrew’s Drive, Thurso, Wick Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday.
Sheriff Andrew Berry was told that the occupants of the house he entered, a woman and her young daughter watching television in their front room on March 29, were ‘startled’ to hear someone forcing the front door open.
The woman saw the man, who proved to be Costello, swaying as he made his way upstairs, supporting himself on the bannister.
She shouted in vain to him to get out of her house before running to a neighbour’s house to call the police.
Fiscal David Barclay said that officers found Costello asleep on the bathroom floor.
He continued: “He was eventually roused and was clearly confused and heavily under the influence of alcohol. The accused struggled with police while they were dealing with him.”
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that Costello had ongoing difficulties with alcohol and binge drinking and had consumed “well in excess that he should have”.
She added that he was “full of remorse” over his behaviour towards the occupants of the house and was embarrassed at his conduct towards the police.
Sheriff Berry commented: “That explanation will hardly be of any comfort to the lady and her daughter in the house you entered uninvited. As a robust Glaswegian, I would have found it equally unsettling and frightening.”
The sheriff, who saw a background report, added that it was “highly unlikely” that Costello would appear in any court again, but stressed he would need to address his drinking.
The accused, who admitted a breach of the peace, was ordered to carry out 80 hours of unpaid community work while under supervision.
He was also made subject to a non-harassment order banning him from contacting the householder and her family for a period of two years.
The sheriff said: “Hopefully, it will give them peace of mind during that time” and added it was ‘critical’ Costello complied with the order.
