A buggy holding a 22-month-old child had been pushed close to the edge of a platform at Truro Railway Station by its drunken father, and left with the handbrake off, Truro magistrates heard.

A police officer who had seen David Leonard Christopher Feeley staggering along the platform pushing the buggy saw what |had happened and put the brake back on.

Feeley, 35, formerly of Berkeley Cottages, Falmouth, and now living in Pool, Redruth, was very drunk.

He pleaded guilty to being drunk in charge of a child on March 5 when before magistrates in Truro on Tuesday.

Gail Hawkley, for the CPS, said when the officer spoke to Feeley about the child, and asked him if it was his, he replied: “No, I f….g well stole it.” He was persistently abusive to the officer.

Paul Simons, for Feeley, said he was getting help for a drink problem and had been clear for a year, but then for some reason on that day had fallen off the wagon. He deeply regretted what happened.

No evidence was offered by the prosecution against him on a charge of criminal damage to a mobile phone belonging to his wife Louise Feeley and it was dismissed on the making of a restraining order.

This prohibits Feeley from contacting Mrs Feeley for two years except through a third party and from going to her home or place of work.

Feeley, who had previous convictions, had his drink case deferred to August 5 for sentence.