A 30-year-old man has been jailed for six months at Selkirk Sheriff Court for a "flagrant" breach of his bail conditions.

Daniel Hamilton had been granted bail earlier this month with the specific conditions not to enter Selkirk and to be in his home in Kenilworth Avenue, Galashiels, at night time.

But when checks were made at his property he was not there at 9.30pm and 3.10am on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

And police were called to a property in Buccleuch Road, Selkirk, on Wednesday after neighbours reported a disturbance.

Hamilton appeared from custody on Thursday and pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching bail conditions and also behaving in a threatening or abusive behaviour, shouting and swearing, and throwing crockery.

Depute fiscal Fiona Hamilton explained that the accused was at the house of his partner Andrea Plumbe and another person.

She explained: "They were at her address in Selkirk and when she was not able to give him another cigarette, he got upset and threw a mug and a plate towards her.

"He went outside and was locked out the property. He continued to press the buzzer and items were thrown at the window which disturbed the neighbours."

The fiscal said that police were called but by this time Hamilton had managed to get back into the property.

She added that police observed him through the window moving into the kitchen and when they got access to the house found Hamilton hiding in the kitchen cupboard.

The court was told that Hamilton was abusive when he was cautioned and charged.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow asked for bail to be granted to allow him to undertake a Community Pay Back Order which was about to get underway.

He accepted his client had a "hopeless addiction" to alcohol and asked that he be given a chance to undertake the unpaid work he was due to start.

But Sheriff Peter Paterson said that the last time Hamilton came before him he had given him the opportunity to prove that a short term jail sentence should not be imposed.

He added: "All the cards available to you have been played."

The sheriff said that Hamilton knew that by going to Selkirk he was breaching his bail conditions saying: "It is flagrant breach and you were told what would happen."

Hamilton was given six months for breaching his bail and another six months - to run concurrently - for behaving in a threatening or abusive manner.

The court was told that the government's policy is a presumption of short term jail sentences under a year unless there were exceptional circumstances and Sheriff Paterson insisted: "In this case there is no alternative to a custodial sentence."