A DRUNKEN chicken factory cleaner assaulted a staff member at a Hereford Tesco supermarket when they refused to sell him more alcohol.

Sergiu Tingala admitted using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behaviour and assault by beating when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

Tingala was detained by security at Hereford's Belmont Tesco supermarket on November 3 after an incident, during which he pushed one member of staff, prosecutor Mark Hambling said.

Police were called to the store and Tingala was taken to Hereford police station, where he was interviewed by police.

ALSO READ:

Marilena Di Vitantonio, for Tingala, said the 46-year-old accepted the circumstances of the offence.

"He tells me that around that time he was using alcohol as a coping mechanism due to anxiety and depression, and this was causing difficulties with sleeping," Miss Di Vitantonio said.

"On this day he was demanding the staff sell him alcohol and was already extremely drunk. When they rightly refused, he took issue with that.

"He is very apologetic for his behaviour and after his arrest in November, he has gone to Turning Point with the help of his sister and is now medicated."

The court heard from a probation report that Tinjala has been in the UK for 12 years and works as a night cleaner at Avara, but that he does not have any hobbies or friends outside of work.

"The reason he drinks seems largely to be because he had bouts of intense anxiety which leave him unable to sleep for days and for which his answer is half a bottle of vodka minimum," the report said.

Tinjala, of Chantry Court, Belmont, was handed a nine-month community order and must complete a six-month alcohol treatment programme. He was also fined £300 and must pay costs of £135 and a £95 victim surcharge