A homeless man has promised to mend his ways after punching a security guard at a Tesco Express store, shamefacedly admitting he is “too old” for these antics.
Neil MacLeod had tried to buy Stella Artois from the Tesco Express store in St Matthew’s Street on May 11. However, staff refused to serve him as he appeared drunk. At a hearing before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court, the court heard he was “stumbling about, unsteady on his feet”.
MacLeod argued with staff, leading to an altercation with a security guard, who he punched in the face.
Brought before the court, MacLeod, 56, admitted theft and assault. He reportedly told the probation service that he was “disgusted with myself. I’ve done some right crazy things before but hitting a security guard is not one of them”.
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At his hearing, the presiding magistrate told MacLeod: “You’ve got to get your life in order. You can’t go around behaving like this.”
MacLeod readily agreed, saying: “I’m too old for it”.
Speaking in his defence, David Allan told the court his client had not drunk alcohol since the incident and had been distancing himself from the “street drinkers” of Ipswich.
MacLeod, of no fixed address, was ordered to abstain from alcohol for the next 120 days and handed a community order, requiring him to carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirements over the next 18 months.
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