THE millennium celebrations were a blur for diabetic Jason Dewhurst after he went drinking and woke up next century in police cells, a court was told.

Dewhurst, 24, who had stopped drinking because of his medical condition, could not say how much he had drunk because he had gone blank.

Burnley magistrates heard how the defendant had been falling about in the street, abused police and two men at a takeaway, tried to hit a police officer, and tried to run away - but fallen over.

Dewhurst, of Moorview Close, Burnley, was fined £100 with £55 costs, after what the bench described as an expensive new year.

He admitted threatening behaviour on January 1.

Andy Robinson, prosecuting, said Dewhurst was seen waving a bottle towards a group of people and then was found lying in a back street.

He stood up and took an aggressive, fighting stance towards officers. Mark Williams, defending, said Dewhurst could not really remember what went on.

He woke up in the cells and was very much ashamed of what he had done.

It was out of character for the defendant to drink recently, as he had been diagnosed as a diabetic.

Dewhurst had a drink, but could not remember how much. The next thing, he went blank.

Mr Williams went on: "The defendant wishes he could apologise personally to the officer."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.