Cider drinker mocks police in Sunderland city centre before being floored by officers

A drunken cider drinker ran from police in Sunderland city centre – then mocked them by standing in view and swigging from the bottle.

Dylan Brown, 21, nipped between passing cars to avoid the officers’ grasps as he legged it from Vine Place, a court heard.

Brown, of no fixed abode, then stopped himself in his tracks to stare at the officers on Friday, May 26 – and drank more booze in plain sight.

Police eventually caught up with him, but he did not come quietly and had to be bundled to the ground before he could be arrested.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty in his absence to a charge of being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

District Judge Zoe Passfield sentenced him to a three-month conditional discharge but imposed only a £26 financial penalty, due to him owing £1,958 in past fines and costs.

Prosecutor Stephanie Cook said: “The defendant was seen in Vine Place, and he was clearly intoxicated. At the time, he was sleeping rough.

“Police officers offered him assistance, which he refused. He was drinking cider from a bottle. He ran off and had to avoid two cars.

“He got to the other side and police were provoked by him drinking out of the bottle. He was taken to the floor, which he resisted.”

The court heard Brown has 17 previous convictions from 29 offences, including three for public order matters.

He was last before magistrates in February for being drunk and disorderly and assaulting an emergency worker.

Paul McAlindon, defending, said Brown had not been able to attend court due to being in hospital for an operation to a leg.

He also revealed his client was born with foetal alcohol syndrome, from which his booze woes stemmed.

Mr McAlindon added: “There’s a lot of similar offences on his record. Foetal alcohol syndrome has caused him cognitive and some physical injuries.

“He was street homeless. It’s no surprise that he ends up this way.”

Brown must pay a £26 victim surcharge. There were no court costs.

Of his fines' account, Judge Passfield said: “It’s not quite as bad as I thought it may be but it’s still fairly substantial.”