A DRUNK man whose trousers were falling down in the middle of the day in Hereford has been told he doesn't have to pay his fines.

Andrew Mills, 37, was arrested by police at 3pm on Wednesday (July 28) for being drunk and disorderly after he was caught shouting in the city centre.

Kidderminster Magistrates Court heard how police officers had warned Mills at 1pm to move on after they saw him "play fighting" with another man in Commercial Road.

But prosecution solicitor Val Hart said that around two hours later, officers saw Mills again and he was struggling to stand up.

Clearly drunk, she said Mills' trousers were falling down and police saw a "crowd of youths" watching from outside McDonald's in Commercial Street.

The arrest came just a day after a similar offence, for which police bailed Mills.

Defence solicitor Chris Read said Mills wasn't arrested or charged with the play fighting at 1pm, with the matter "simply" relating to being drunk and disorderly by shouting at 3pm.

He had spent almost 24 hours in custody as he waited to appear in court following his arrest, and in that time he had been put in touch with alcohol addiction services.

Mr Read said Mills, of no fixed address, had seen his life "spiral down hill" since last year, splitting from his partner and children.

He said Mills had a "major problem" with alcohol, but he should now get the support he needs.

In court on July 29, magistrates fined Mills, who pleaded guilty to one count of being drunk and disorderly, £40 and told him to pay a £34 victim surcharge and £135 costs.

But with Mills unable to pay the fines immediately, magistrates accepted the one day spent in custody in lieu of the financial penalties.