A MAN ended up spending a night in the cells after a bizarre chain of events that started when he fell off his settee laughing.

Christopher Cocker, 36, was enjoying watching BBC1's Have I Got News For You when comedian and panelist on the show Paul Merton had him in stitches.

But, hearing the thud after he fell off the sofa, Cocker's neighbour in the flat below thought he may have fallen ill.

She alerted police, and officers were sent to Cocker's home in Maricourt Avenue, Intack, Blackburn.

But when they arrived Cocker - who was initially co-operate and relaxed' became aggressive after they asked to take his name.

Blackburn magistrates heard that Cocker tried to shut his front door but was Parva sprayed through the gap and an officer then came into his apartment.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said: "The officer accepts in his statement that he struck my client and then sprayed him again.

"He was handcuffed and unceremoniously thrown into the back of a police van. When he ended up in a police cell he was asking himself how all this had happened."

Mr Taylor said that having reassured the police that he was the only person in the flat and he was fine, Cocker could not understand why they wanted his details.

"With hindsight he should just have told the police what they wanted to know and they would have gone on their way," said Mr Taylor.

Cocker pleaded guilty to resisting a police officer and was given a conditional discharge for six months following the incident on May 20. A charge of assaulting PC Michael Davies was withdrawn.

Speaking after the hearing, Cocker said he had been in his flat minding his own business'.

He said: "I can't believe I was hog tied and thrown in the back of a police van before being stripped naked and put in a cell.

"I was handcuffed behind my back and my ankles bound with plastic ties before six of them carried me to the van.

"It was something Paul Merton said and I remember falling of the settee, I didn't think it would end up in court.

"I hadn't had a drink or anything, I was just watching TV and all this happened. Paul Merton is one of my favourites. He's really funny."

Prosecutor Alex Mann said the police went to check if everything was alright and spoke to Cocker who was "co-operative and relaxed" and ensured them everything was okay.

"He only became worked up when the police asked for his details," said Mrs Mann. "The police tried to explain they just needed the name for the report but he became aggressive and started swearing at the officer."

After the hearing Joan Codling, 57, who lives in the flat below and made the call to police, said she contacted officers after being concerned that he may have fallen ill.

She said: "I was worried in case he was having an epileptic fit. There was a lot of noise and I didn't know what to do so I called the police."

A police spokesman said Cocker became aggresive' towards the officers who feared for their own safety. The spokesman said: "Parva spray was used to stop any confrontation and was necessary to protect the officers and any members of the public who were around at the time.

"Within the circumstances, we feel we used reasonable force."