Last Thursday's Jedburgh Sheriff Court hear that Greg Bain, 25, of Park Street, had attended at Job Centre Plus in North Bridge Street, for a pre-arranged appointment on December 19, when he committed the offence.

When the female staff member dealing with him, asked Bain about his efforts to find employment over the past 13 weeks, he became increasingly agitated, and started shouting and swearing.

"She was so alarmed by his attitude that she started to back away from her desk," explained depute fiscal Juliet Petrusev.

Other employees tried to calm him down, but Bain continued to shout and swear.

He told police he was sorry and had lost his temper.

"The employees were very distressed by his behaviour," added Miss Petrusev.

Defence lawyer Rory Bannerman conceded his client's behaviour was "thoroughly objectionable.

"He took umbrage at something said to him and began to react in this way," explained Mr Bannerman.

"Others became involved, but that did nothing to placate him, and he was subsequently barred from the Job centre," added Mr Bannerman.

"He hasn't been working for nearly three years," he explained. "He has expressed remorse and wants to apologise, but has been barred from the Job Centre," he concluded.

Bain was placed on probation for 12 months and ordered to complete 140 hours' community service, but Sheriff Kevin Drummond warned him, "Breach that and you will go to jail."

Bain had sentence deferred for six months, until November 6, on a further complaint, originally heard when he appeared from custody ay Selkirk Sheriff Court last month.

A sergeant resorted to CS spray as Bain struggled violently, but it hit the eyes of two fellow officers trying to detain the accused and, with their visibility impaired, further assistance had to be summoned.

Bain admitted obstructing police in a drugs search in Teviot Crescent, on April 21, and struggling violently with officers trying to arrest him.

Procurator fiscal Viki Welton said police had been on mobile patrol around 1am that morning when they saw the accused and another man walking together.

After the officers passed, they noticed Bain running towards a local nightclub, so they decided to stop and speak to him.

They found Bain "nervous and agitated" and when they told him he was to be searched for drugs, the accused reached into a pocket and threw something away.

"He was arrested and began to struggle violently with the police, lashing out with his arms and legs," explained Miss Welton.

"Unable to handcuff him, a sergeant used CS spray, but that didn't work as it hit the eyes of other officers rather than the accused," continued Miss Welton.

"The accused continued to thrash about and the sergeant resorted to using his baton and he was eventually handcuffed.

"Neither of the officers was able to see very well, so further assistance was summoned," she added.

Sheriff Drummond told Bain: "I am giving you an opportunity, and if you don't want to take it, that's fine."