A HOMELESS man was offered a job in court after getting stuck in a 'vicious circle' of drinking and offending.

Andrew Mills, who is of no fixed address, appeared before magistrates in Hereford for sentencing after previously admitting breaching his criminal behaviour order, criminal damage, and theft.

The court heard he had been verbally abusive to staff at Hereford's Ledbury Road Tesco Express on May 8, knocking items off shelves, causing harassment alarm, and distress, damaging a newspaper stand, and stealing a bottle of 19 Crimes wine.

In interview, he said he did not remember what he had done, but that he remembered drinking lots of cider that day.

"It is a pretty sad life that he has had up to now," prosecutor Melanie Winterflood said, telling the court that Mills has been in court on a regular basis for breaching his community protection order and drink-related offences.

"He was in this court last week. He was sober and was released in the hope that he would get some help, and that help has been very positive, but it was short-lived," she said.

"This is a shame as he had been trying to stay sober. He has a lengthy history, and it is clear he is committing these offences while intoxicated and that he has a poor relationship with alcohol."

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Chris Read, for 38-year-old Mills, said the offences speak for themselves in many ways.

"In the last six months he has been in court on a weekly, if not daily, basis for being drunk and disorderly and breaching his community protection notice," Mr Read said.

"He finds himself regularly being sent here or to Kidderminster for matters that can only be dealt with by fines. He is fined, released, and everything starts all over again. He is trying, but one of the things he needs is rehab and he can't have a rehab placement as he is homeless and has nowhere to go when it ends. It is a classic vicious circle."

However, the court heard, Mills had bumped into an old employer at the court that morning who has offered him a job and a place to stay in Knighton.

"That is hopefully the breakthrough everyone has been looking for," Mr Read said.

"This could break him away from the people he drinks with and gets into trouble with in Hereford, will put a wage in his pocket, and consideration can be paid to him going to rehab as he will have an address,"

Magistrates deferred the sentencing for three months to allow Mills to take up the offer of a job and accommodation, and to work with probation and Turning Point to tackle his alcohol issues. He will appear before Hereford magistrates court again on August 10.