CAUSING a disturbance in a Cowdenbeath shop and struggling with police officers landed Christopher Godden with a restriction of liberty order this week.

Godden, 30, took exception to his friend being asked to leave a store and when police traced him to question him, he tried to break free from them which resulted in him and a police officer falling down some stairs.

Appearing for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court on Wednesday, Godden, of Urquhart Crescent, Dunfermline, had previously admitted that on January 20, at Max Grocers in Cowdenbeath, he behaved in a threatening or abusive manner which was likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear or alarm by shouting and swearing.

On the same day, at Blamey Crescent in Cowdenbeath, he resisted, obstructed or hindered two police officers in the execution of their duty and ran away from them.

Depute fiscal, Azrah Yousaf, said Godden went into a shop with a friend who had previously been barred from the premises.

The shopkeeper told the friend to leave and Godden began to shout and swear and also was told to leave.

Police were called when he told the shopkeeper he wasn't leaving.

After making off before police arrived, officers later apprehended him, however, when they attempted to arrest him, Godden tried to break free which resulted in the accused and a police officer falling down a set of stairs.

Solicitor, Stephen Morrison, said his client had been drinking throughout the day. "He took umbrage to a perfectly reasonable request to leave," he said. "He reacted badly and started to shout and swear."

Sheriff Charles Macnair warned Godden that he faced custody if he continued to offend.

"It is up to you," he said. "If you do not sort yourself out, you know what to expect."

He placed Godden on a restriction of liberty order for 160 days.