A drunk who was arrested after ranting about tragic Nicola Bulley in a Newcastle park also damaged a police car.
Alexander Burns, who has a previous conviction for criminal damage after scrawling his own name on Metro station walls, was detained for being drunk and disorderly in Brandling Park, in Jesmond, after rambling about the mum while she was still missing in St Michael's on Wyre, in Lancashire, last month. However, the 38-year-old quickly turned even more disruptive as he was being placed in a police vehicle, a court heard.
Burns lashed out and struck one of the car's windows, causing it to come away from its pane, magistrates were told. He was then further arrested for criminal damage and appeared in the dock this week to plead guilty to both offences.
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Greg Flaxen, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates Court, said officers were in an underpass in Brandling Park on February 13 this year when they spotted Burns. Mr Flaxen continued: "He's clearly heavily intoxicated and he starts to discuss the lady who disappeared in Lancashire, leaving her dog and mobile phone, who was missing at the time.
"There is body-worn footage. The officers are silent as the defendant rants. It gets to the point where, despite warnings and members of the public walking passed, that he doesn't stop. They arrest him for being drunk and disorderly."
The court heard that, as he was being put in the police car, Burns, who has 147 offences on his record, struck one of the windows, causing it to come away from the pane. The value of the damage was unknown.
Liz Dunbar, defending, said Burns was just "minding his own business" when the officers approached him. Ms Dunbar added: "On this occasion, he had been using alcohol to excess. He's had a long-standing problem with alcohol. He's also had long periods of homelessness and found himself drinking alcohol in the park on this occasion."
Burns, of Tumulus Avenue, in Walker, was ordered to pay £200 compensation to Northumbria Police. It was added to the large amount he already owed to the courts.
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