A MAN was so drunk he flagged down a police car for a lift home before jumping into a bin lorry in Chester city centre, a court heard.

Glyn Thomas, 29, from Housman Close in Blacon, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly on Northgate Street after a night out on December 19 last year.

He was fined £184 at Chester Magistrates Court on Friday (January 10) and admitted he was ashamed of his drunken antics.

Defending himself, he said: “I do apologise for that; I’m really embarrassed. I felt sick to the stomach about having to come to court. I’d been drinking for 12 hours and wasn’t in a good place.”

Thomas said he had split up with his partner and was suffering with anxiety and depression at the time.

“It was just stupid,” he added. “I’m now focused on getting on the straight and narrow.”

Alan Currums, prosecuting, told the court that the defendant had flagged down a police car at around 5.05am before drunkenly “rambling” at the police officers.

“He was asking if he could get a lift home,” Mr Currums said. “The defendant was told the police is not a taxi service.”

Thomas was warned about his behaviour but ignored the officers and proceeded to climb into the back of the car.

He was eventually sent on his way. However, a short while later CCTV operators spotted him lying in front of a bin lorry in the street.

Police officers spoke to him again and said they could take him home, only for him to get into the front passenger seat.

He refused to get into the back seat before jumping out and climbing into the bin lorry, whereupon the officers decided enough was enough and arrested him.

It emerged that Thomas has two previous convictions, including one for being drunk and disorderly in December 2017.

Besides his fine, he must also pay court costs of £85 and a £32 victim surcharge, which goes into a national pot to support victims of crime.