Police dragged a man down from a bridge wall in Carlisle because they feared he would jump into a river below, a court heard.

Thomas James Hall, 32, was arrested and brought before a district judge in the city following the dramatic late-night incident on Castle Way.

When he appeared at Carlisle’s magistrates’ court, Hall admitted being drunk and disorderly in a public place on April 15.

Pamela Fee, prosecuting, said police were informed at about 3.15am by a concerned member of the public that a man was on top of the bridge.

“He was standing on a wall with his arms outstretched as if he was going to jump off into the river,” said Mrs Fee.

Police tried to communicate with Hall to stop him from falling off.

Then, when he was not looking, one officer pulled him from the wall and another gave support to prevent him from suffering an injury.

But the court heard Hall was “tensing” his body and begging police to “let him do what he wanted with his life”.

He smelled of alcohol, was seen to be unsteady on his feet and then started to become aggressive.

Mrs Fee added: “He was a danger to himself and to others due to his demeanour.”

When taken to a police station, he was then said to have head-butted part of the holding area.

This caused a lump to his head.

Hall was not represented in court by a solicitor.

From the dock, he told District Judge Gerald Chalk: “I just want to apologise.

“I was going through a rough time at that point. I felt really down.”

Hall, a steel erector, said he had been laid off from his job at that time but had since been offered a return to work.

“I apologise. It won’t happen again,” he said of the bridge incident.

Hall, of Edward Boyle Close, Raffles, Carlisle, was fined £75.

He must also pay £85 costs and a £30 surcharge.