Bathgate ban order ignored by man

Oct 22 2009 by Alistair Watson, West Lothian Courier

A MAN has been jailed for breaching an anti-social behaviour order banning him from entering Bathgate town centre.

Steven Mitchell was given an ASBO in November 2007 ordering him to stay out of the town until November 2010 unless he had a doctor or dentist appointment or if he was being driven through it.

But Livingston Sheriff Court heard that on September 29 this year the 26-year-old was spotted by police outside the Royal Bar on George Street.

Mitchell was arrested and taken to Livingston police station where he became volatile.

Fiscal depute Julia McLaren told the court Mitchell began shouting and swearing

Ms McLaren said: “He said he wanted to bite one of the officer’s nose off and said that he knew where he lived.”

Last week Mitchell, whose address was given as Hillhouse Avenue, Bathgate, pled guilty to breaching his ASBO and causing a breach of the peace.

His solicitor, Andy Aitken, told the court his client was a chronic alcoholic, which stemmed from a horrendous incident that happened to him when he was younger.

Mr Aitken added: “He has never come to terms with what has happened to him. His drinking has been so bad that he has never been able to accept any help that has been offered.

“This is yet another example of him consuming alcohol and not recalling what he had done. He has no recollection of abusing police officers and has no memories of going to Bathgate.

“He knows he shouldn’t have gone there but he drunk and somehow ended up there. This is a man resigned to a life in and out of custody.

“Custody we can say is not working and has not corrected the root of his problems.

“He knows he has had chances in the past and they are going to run out.”

However, Sheriff Daniel Kelly said he could see no alternative to a custodial sentence.

Sheriff Kelly handed Mitchell a total of four months imprisonment backdated to the end of September when he was originally remanded in custody.