A street drinker was found lying in a pool of vomit in the reception area of a doctors’ surgery – four days after receiving a criminal behaviour order banning him from being drunk in public.

Daniel Palmer had breached an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) so many times that, last week, a judge replaced it with a suspended prison sentence and criminal behaviour order.

At 1.10pm on Monday, police were called to assist staff at the Guildhall Surgery, in Bury St Edmunds, where Palmer was found lying in a pool of his own vomit, between an empty bottle of cider and half empty bottle of vodka.

Suffolk Magistrates' Court heard that Palmer was so drunk he needed the assistance of a wheelchair to leave the surgery, where staff had been forced to temporarily lock out other patients as a result of his behaviour.

Prosecutor Wayne Ablett said Palmer had breached his ASBO 47 times before appearing at Ipswich Crown Court last Thursday for using threatening, abusive, insulting words or behaviour and possession of cannabis.

Judge Emma Peters handed him a suspended two-year prison sentence, with a rehabilitation and alcohol treatment requirement, as well as imposing a criminal behaviour order banning him from drinking or being drunk in public, and from entering West Suffolk Hospital without an appointment.

Palmer, 37, of Pemberton Walk, Bury St Edmunds, had also committed 12 offences while subject to bail, and had previously served custodial sentences for breaching his ASBO, according to Mr Ablett, who urged magistrates to remand him in custody until another date with Judge Peters.

Natasha Nair, mitigating, said Palmer had engaged with substance misuse services while on remand and attended his first probation appointment since being sentenced at crown court.

"He was given a suspended sentence to give him the opportunity to comply with orders and continue his rehabilitation," she said.

"It would be a real test of commitment to this court, and the crown court, to show he could comply with bail, the suspended sentence and post-sentence supervision."

Magistrates said they could not justify awarding Palmer bail and remanded him in custody until November 19.