A HOMELESS East Devon alcoholic has been sent to jail after he breached the terms of his suspended sentence by being drunk in a public place.

A HOMELESS East Devon alcoholic has been sent to jail after he breached the terms of his suspended sentence by being drunk in a public place.

Jason Holland, 41, had appeared in court in January on charges of being in possession of a bladed article in two separate instances in Exmouth.

He was given two five week prison sentences to run concurrently, suspended for 12 months, on January 29.

He had been found carrying a carving knife in the York Inn on January 1, and in public toilets in the London Inn, on January 7.

On March 18, he was found drunk at the Imperial Medical Practice and the police were called.

The court heard there had been several members of the public in the waiting room, including children and, when Holland was unco-operative, officers arrested him.

He failed to attend a court hearing on April 6 and was later arrested at his partner's address in Sheffield. Holland pleaded guilty to breaching his suspended sentence and bail.

The court heard Holland, an "entrenched alcoholic", had attended ENDAS (Exeter, East and Mid Devon Addictions Team) appointments under the influence of alcohol.

In mitigation, Katrina Byrne said Holland had returned to Sheffield to renew a relationship with a former partner - after a 10 year gap.

She said the move had offered him the first bit of stability in his life for a long time.

She said he had been taken to the surgery last month after celebrating St Patrick's Day, when it later transpired his drink had been spiked.

She said: "It was not his intention to put staff members or others in fear."

The court ordered Holland to spend a total of eight weeks in prison - reduced by 21 days for the time he had spent on remand.