Man who acted aggressively and fell asleep at North Somercotes Co-op faces wait to see if he will be jailed

A man who acted aggressively and drunkenly fell asleep at a Co-op faces a nervous wait to see whether he will be jailed.

Thirty-six-year-old Nathan Rayner admitted he’s ‘in a bit of a pickle’ when he appeared in court on Wednesday (November 20), where he pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

Prosecutor Marie Stace gave Boston Magistrates the details of the offence, which occurred at North Somercotes on October 27.

“It was 1.40pm. Mr Rayner was in and around the Co-op shouting, being aggressive and falling over and alarming the public with his behaviour,” she said.

“Police attended and spoke to him. His speech was slurred and he was struggling to his feet.

“He wasn’t compliant with officers but they were able to arrest him.”

Miss Stace added that Rayner - who received Universal Credit - was in breach of a six-month suspended jail term, imposed on April 29 by Lincoln Crown Court for threatening behaviour and destroying property.

Defending himself, Rayner said he turned to drink following the death of his father the week before the incident, adding he had also fallen asleep at the scene before police came.

He told magistrates he had returned to the store to apologise to staff and also thank them for looking after his bike and ‘keeping it round the back’ until he was released by police.

“I drunk too much and I understand that,” he said.

“I’m not a bad person but I lost my dad the week before.

“I’m genuinely trying not to be a problem. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.

“I’m in a bit of a pickle at the moment and I know it’s a bad thing.

“All I can do is apologise. I know the police do a good job and don’t need to be wasting their time dealing with me.”

Magistrates fined Rayner, of Freshney Close, Saltfleet, near Louth, £120 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £45 victim surcharge.

The defendant was told that his breach of the suspended sentence would be reported to Lincoln Crown Court, which would decide whether or not to invoke a jail term.