An alcoholic banned from seeing his estranged wife was arrested after falling asleep in her garden.
John Wilkinson, of Sheepridge Road in Sheepridge , appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court in custody.
He pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching a non-molestation order.
The order was imposed at the Huddersfield court on April 19 and banned father-of-five Wilkinson from seeing his wife or going within 100 metres of her address.
But the 34-year-old ignored the terms of this when he went round to her home in Fartown Green Road on July 1.
He had arranged via a third party to go there to pick up some cigarettes, his solicitor Sonia Kidd explained.
She told magistrates: “His estranged wife was not in but he was in drink and in the garden when he fell asleep.
“He was subsequently arrested by police who were in attendance searching gardens in relation to an unrelated matter.”
Wilkinson was bailed by police but went round to the property again last Friday (July 13), again after drinking.
This time he knocked on the door and, while the victim was out, her friends saw him and contacted police.
Mrs Kidd added: “There is no suggestion that violence has been threatened or utilised.”
She told magistrates that the relationship between the couple, who were married for five years, broke down due to Wilkinson’s problem with alcohol.
Mrs Kidd explained: “He drinks three to four litres of cider daily and is seeing CHART Kirklees (alcohol treatment service) on a voluntary basis.
“The defendant has five children and is not seeing them at the moment because he needs to sort himself out.
“If he doesn’t he says it will kill him. (Punishment in) a community setting would allow this gentleman to get the help he needs.”
Magistrates sentenced Wilkinson to a community order with 12 rehabilitation activity days and six months of alcohol treatment.
He will have to pay £85 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.
