A man was sentenced to stay in the Norwich Magistrates' Court building for 18 minutes for being drunk and disorderly.

William Collins, 69, of Barnaby Yard, Norwich, appeared at Norwich Magistrates on November 22 where he pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and failing to surrender to court.

Josephine Jones, crown prosecutor, told the court Collins had been at High Water House, in Norwich, at about 9.50pm on September 12.

She said he had been banned from the property for previous behaviour. He had returned and when staff would not allow him in he began shouting and threw a can of cider at the window.

Richard Mann, for Collins' defence, asked the court to be lenient and said a lifetime of being an alcoholic had caught up with Collins, who appeared in court frail and unable to walk.

Mr Mann told the court Collins had a history of offending, with the first being a £1 fine in 1968.

Magistrate Richard Middleton ordered Collins to stay in the building until noon, a total of 18 minutes.