A 23-YEAR-OLD man who refused to leave after being refused entry to his on-off partner’s home during the early hours of the morning has been ordered to be of good behaviour for the next six months.

David Mitchell of North Street, Peebles, turned up shortly after midnight on Thursday, May 22, at the house in the town and was banging on the door.

But his partner did not want to let him in as he had been out drinking.

Selkirk Sheriff Court was told that Mitchell kept moving between the front and back door of the property and his partner eventually phoned her mother for assistance.

Despite her arrival Mitchell refused to leave and eventually the pair fled the house when he was in the back garden. When police arrived Mitchell ran away but was later detained.

Defence lawyer Iain Burke said his client admitted causing the woman distress but pointed out that prior to the offence he had been staying there and his belongings were in the house. He added Mitchell was simply being a pest and was not being threatening or aggressive.

Sheriff Peter Paterson deferred sentence until June 8 for good behaviour. He added that if Mitchell managed to stay out of further trouble he would impose a small fine.