A recalcitrant alcoholic found slugging red wine from a plastic cup inside a Wollongong child care centre playground early Thursday morning had only been released on bail for public intoxication offences two days earlier, a court has heard.
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Umit Bakan was arrested on Tuesday after police twice discovered him downing copious amounts of wine inside McCabe Park's alcohol-free zone.
On both occasions he allegedly became belligerent when police poured the alcohol out in front of him, prompting them to arrest him on the second occasion.
Bakan was granted strict conditional bail that afternoon and ordered not to consume alcohol in public.
However, it is alleged Bakan breached that condition on Thursday when police discovered him sipping red wine from a clear plastic McDonalds cup inside the Ellen Street property just after 7.30am.
He was given a formal caution, reminded of his bail conditions and moved on from the area.
It is alleged police discovered Bakan drinking in public again the following morning, this time while sitting outside Wollongong courthouse "to escape the rain".
Police said Bakan's eyes were bloodshot, he was slurring his words, smelt strongly of alcohol and couldn't walk in a straight line.
He was arrested and charged with breaching his bail.
In court on Friday, defence lawyer Jodan Mechan said Bakan had misunderstood his original bail and thought he'd be okay if he stayed away from others while drinking.
"He's a homeless alcoholic - he's drunk alcohol every day for 10 years," he said.
Police opposed Bakan's application for bail, noting he already had four sets of charges before the court for public drunkenness.
Magistrate Mark Douglass granted Bakan bail but refused to impose a condition that prohibited him from drinking entirely, saying for him to give up alcohol "cold turkey" would likely land him in hospital.
He banned Bakan from drinking in public unless in a licensed premises and ordered him to attend his GP clinic for help with beginning the process of withdrawing from alcohol.
He also ordered Bakan to see the Wollongong Homeless Hub as soon as he was released from custody and barred him from going within 100 metres of McCabe Park, where most of the offences occurred.
Bakan's charges will return to court next month.