Man drank £50 of alcohol in ex's house - then fell asleep in her bed

04 March 2024 , 10:41

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Clifton Sockett lost a 'substantial part of his memory' and fell asleep in the wrong house (Image: No credit)

A man has been slapped with a restraining order after he entered his ex-partner's house and downed £50 worth of booze before going to sleep in her bed.

Clifton Sockett, 53, from Abbey Hulton, Stoke-on-Trent, walked into the property after he noticed the back door was open at around 2pm on December 20. After drinking the alcohol, he went upstairs and fell asleep in her bed. To his suprise, he woke up to the police being called by her current partner, who had left the house to go to work.

Prosecutor Hannah Baddeley said his ex was left "terrified" by the incident, however, Peter Howland, mitigating, agreed that Sockett was "confused" and had lost a "substantial part of his memory." Earlier in a police interview, Sockett said he thought his former partner would be ok with him going into her home. He explained that he did not know where he was heading but thought he should hide.

Miss Baddeley said: "The back door had been left open. His ex and her current partner went to work. The defendant entered and drank £50 worth of alcohol without having permission to do so. He went upstairs where he fell asleep. Her current partner found the defendant in the bed. He had never met him and did not know who he was. He formed the impression it was her ex. The police attended and Sockett was arrested." She added: "She is terrified of him. He has not allowed her to move on with her life. He is obsessed with her."

Sockett pleaded guilty to burglary dwelling and theft. He has been sentenced to a 12-month community order with a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days at North Staffordshire Justice Centre. And he was made the subject of a 12-month restraining order which bans him from contacting her or going to her address, reports Stoke-on-Trent Live.

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Howland, mitigating, said Sockett had no previous convictions for burglary. "He is not a dwelling house burglar. This was committed while he was unwell," he explained. "There was no break-in. The back door was open. He entered and consumed some alcohol. There is no evidence he acted out of any malice towards his ex partner.

"He has no convictions for harassing her. He does not object to a restraining order being made. He is apologetic for his behaviour. He wishes no malice upon her. He was confused. He went to that address and helped himself to some drink. He thought he was in a relationship. He has lost a substantial part of his memory." Magistrates fined Sockett £40 and ordered him to pay £185 costs and a £114 surcharge.

Monica Charsley