A FATHER from Carlisle wept as a court heard how his young child had to seek help from a stranger when he collapsed in the street in a drunken stupor.

The man had been taking his child home from her primary school when he took her into a shop to buy sweets – but he succumbed to the temptation to buy booze and quickly became so drunk he collapsed in the street.

The father, a recovering alcoholic in his 30s who cannot be identified for legal reasons, admitted being drunk in charge of a child aged under seven.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor George Shelley described how the police were alerted to the offence on the afternoon of July 4 when a concerned member of the public called them to report that the child had asked for help.

The officers found the child’s father “heavily intoxicated” on a major city street.

As he was approached by the police officers, he immediately became aggressive, said Mr Shelley. It later emerged that he was supposed to be taking his child home.

“When he was interviewed, he fully admitted the offence,” said Mr Shelley. “He was very apologetic.” The lawyer added that the man was last year given a community order for failing to provide police with a breath specimen when suspected of drink driving.

Mark Shepherd, defending, said the defendant was devastated by his own actions on July 4.

A recovering alcoholic, the man popped into a shop to buy his child a fruit drink and while there he bought alcohol.

“He consumed it quickly and collapsed,” said the lawyer.

Mr Shepherd said: “He’s devastated by the risk he posed to his child when he collapsed in that manner. He vows that this will never happen again.” Fully aware of his alcohol dependency illness, he had sought treatment in the past and used medication to suppress his desire for alcohol.

The offence had led to Children’s Services intervening in his family life and he had to live with a friend while matters were investigated. Mr Shepherd said: “He can’t understand what triggered him to do that…

“He wants to understand more about what it is in him that led him to drink. He was happy and had everything he wanted. After he was released, his wife and children went to see him and it was clear how truly sorry he was.”

Magistrates said the defendant’s actions were reckless, given that he knew he was a recovering alcoholic who had previously mentored others with similar issues. The presiding magistrate said of his child: “It was just after 3pm and [the child] was asking strangers about daddy. Anything could have happened.”

The magistrate added: “You need help; you need to be responsible.” Magistrates imposed a two-year conditional discharge, which means the defendant will not be punished provided he stays out of trouble for that period.

The presiding magistrate added: “You could have gone to prison.”