A RECOVERING alcoholic who slipped off the wagon headbutted a window as he was escorted from a Haslingden pub.

Blackburn magistrates heard Brian Michael Holden could remember nothing of the incident in August but had not touched a drop since.

Holden, 58, of Carluke Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to criminal damage to a window at the Bay Horse.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £100 compensation, £85 costs and £21 victim surcharge.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said having bought a pint of lager Holden went and sat down and fell asleep.

“The landlady asked him to leave, which he did, but he returned shortly after and asked to be served again,” said Mr Robinson.

“He was escorted from the pub by some other customers and as he was leaving he head butted a window which cracked.”

Graeme Parkinson, defending, said his client had a long-standing alcohol problem.

“At one stage he was persuaded to go to hospital and the doctor who saw him said if he didn’t stop drinking he would be dead within two weeks,” said Mr Parkinson.

That sparked a change in his lifestyle but he has to accept at the time of this incident he had slipped off the wagon and had a lot to drink on this day.

“He doesn’t remember anything about the incident but he hasn’t touched a drop since.”