A DRUNK who was arrested hours after being released from custody will spend Christmas in prison.

John Rientoul, 53, yesterday pleaded guilty to breaching his anti-social behaviour order for the 17th time since 2003. Rientoul was picked up by police in Bishop Auckland, County Durham, on Monday evening, drinking while intoxicated in contravention of the order.

Hours earlier, he was released from custody after being sentenced to spend one day in prison after breaching the order by being drunk and disorderly in Bishop Auckland bus station. The incident was the third time this month Rientoul, of no fixed address, had breached the order by being drunk.

David Chadwick, prosecuting, said Rientoul was spotted by police at 7pm staggering around at Brooklands in Bishop Auckland drinking from a vodka bottle.

Robert Willoughby, mitigating, said his client could not remember the incident.

After being released from custody he had gone to see some friends in Bishop Auckland and at some point bought some alcohol.

Mr Willoughby said: "Over two or three years he's been dealt with on a number of different occasions with sentences ranging from one day to seven days to two or three months in custody.

"It's not his worst breach."

However, Newton Aycliffe magistrates sentenced Rientoul to two months in prison.