26-year-old swears off alcohol after town centre fight

A Lynn man has sworn off alcohol after winding up in court following a town centre fight.Benjamin Leach, 26, was captured on CCTV acting aggressively among a group of men on Norfolk Street on March 28.Someone at the scene attempted to remove him from the vicinity, but he returned and was seen swinging his fists in the air.

When he was spoken to by the police, they deemed him to be clearly intoxicated and arrested him.Leach, of no fixed abode, appeared at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly in a public place.Appearing unrepresented, he said: “First and foremost, I apologise for that night – really frustrating for me.” The defendant told the court he has attempted to better himself by getting back into sport, volunteering around Lynn and taking part in ‘Dry January’.“Alcohol, for me, is just something that I can’t risk anymore,” he added.“Once I’m in a specific situation in the street, I just can’t let go. I have no desire to go out in town at all anymore.”Magistrates handed Leach a 12-month conditional discharge, while he will also pay a £26 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.