A DRUNKEN man was arrested twice for running out in front of moving traffic.

On the second occasion Paul Lee Price spat at a police officer, a court heard.

Price, 24, formerly of Buckley but now living at a bail hostel in Wrexham, admitted being drunk and disorderly on August 23 and a public order offence, assaulting a police officer and damaging a police vehicle on Monday, September 6.

Flintshire magistrates heard Price had had a serious alcohol problem since a very young age when, at the age of 11, his father was found hanged in the garage at his family home.

Amy Valentine, defending, said there were clearly issues in Price’s life which needed to be addressed and he had never received counselling.

The case against Price was adjourned for a pre-sentence report and he was bailed to return to the probation hostel.

The court heard police were called to a taxi office in Brunswick Road, Buckley, at about 7.30pm on August 22.

Price was refusing to pay for a taxi and then ran into the road, put his hands on the bonnets of cars and was aggressive towards the occupiers.

He was arrested and bailed.

Andrew Warman, prosecuting, said on Monday police were called to Well Street, Buckley, to a report of a man jumping out in front of moving traffic and spitting at people and saying he would kill himself.

Price was arrested and then spat into an officer’s face.

Interviewed, he said he was so drunk he could not recall anything about it.

Miss Valentine said her client had been released from custody and the family, who had been very supportive, were trying “a tough love” approach.

He was not allowed to return home at this stage and was living in a bail hostel. It was clear he had issues in his life and a severe problem with alcohol.

When drunk he had no recollection of what he was doing but accepted he had been jumping out in front of vehicles.

“That is not normal behaviour,” she said.

She asked for an adjournment so the probation service could assess if he had any mental health problems that needed to be addressed.