Phone salesman tells court 'life is hard' as he is fined for drunk and disorderly incident in Sunderland

Adam Findlay, 21, of Bewick Park, Wallsend, North Tyneside, was witnessed getting into a verbal dispute with a man outside a bar in Albion Place.

The incident led to his arrest on a drunk and disorderly charge on Saturday, December 3 – his third such offence, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Glenda Beck told the hearing Findlay admitted to police after his arrest he had lost the not-insignificant sum of money.

She added: “He does have similar matters on his record, one fairly recently. It was in a pub doorway, and he was witnessed being drunk and disorderly.”

Findlay defending himself when he appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court this week.

The 21-year-old defendant pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly, confirmed he worked as a salesman for a national mobile phone firm.

He said: “Life is hard, and at the time I’d had a bit to drink and I’d lost a substantial amount of money. There was no malicious intent meant.

“In terms of the drunk and disorderly, if the police were a bit more understanding and helpful towards the situation, perhaps it could have calmed the situation down.”

Magistrates fined Findlay £153, with £85 court costs and a £61 victim surcharge.

During the hearing, confused Findlay initially entered a not guilty plea to the same charge but within minutes accepted he had meant to indicate guilty.