'Utterly pathetic': Drunken 50-year-old staggered around Leeds throwing punches at passers by

After a night drinking with his daughter, Martin Bills was caught on CCTV trying to attack people on Briggate, including his own partner, during an early-morning episode.

Appearing at Leeds Crown Court this week, where he admitted a charge of affray, Judge Robin Mairs did not sugarcoat his thoughts after watching the footage. He said: "You are 50 years of age. It's utterly pathetic drunken behaviour.

"Staggering about the streets of Leeds at 3am offering to have a go at all comers. You were so drunk you could not even put your jacket on. You even dragged your daughter into this."

The court heard that Bills, of Winrose Avenue, Belle Isle, was seen stumbling around threatening and pushing several passers by on March 28 last year. Several males intervened to keep the peace. He is then seen pushing his partner to the ground.

Following his arrest he gave a no-comment interview. He has previous convictions including for drugs, for which he received a six-and-a-half-year sentence in 2017. However, in recent years he has been prosecuted for alcohol-related offences, including domestic violence, drunk and disorderly and assault on a police officer.

A probation report suggested Bills tried to attack one reveller on Briggate after accusing him of stealing his bank card. He admitted that alcohol had become an issue for him.

No mitigation was offered by his barrister after Judge Mairs said he would not lock him up. Instead he gave him six month's jail, suspended for 24 months. He also gave him a 120-day alcohol-abstinence monitoring tag, ordered him to enrol in the Building Better Relationships programme and 15 rehabilitation days.

Judge Mairs warned him: "This needs to stop, anymore of it and you will go to prison. You need to overcome this demon, otherwise this demon will take you to Armley [HMP Leeds]."