Hove man spends a penny and stands to lose £150

Spending a penny cost a Hove man £150.

Michael Gwatkin, 25, of Molesworth Street, Hove, was seen urinating in Seafield Road, Hove, at 1am on Friday 19 August.

Brighton magistrates were told today that officers asked Gwatkin to move and he replied: “Let me just shake the drops off and put it away.”

But the court was told that police officers then saw observed a steady stream of urine running away from them.

Gwatkin was charged with disorderly behaviour while drunk.

He disputed that anyone had been passing by as he urinated – or even that anyone was on the same side of the road – although he admitted the offence.

 The prosecutor said that the police would have given Gwatkin an £80 fixed penalty but he told them:  “£80 is too much to pay for pissing in the street.”

Instead he was fined £50 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.