A MAN who spent Christmas and New Year in prison was sentenced to 21 days custody and then released on Tuesday.

Joseph Kevin Jenkinson, 23, from Thornfield Road, Grange-over-Sands, remained on remand in Preston prison for three weeks charged with various public order offences in the South Lakeland area, including using threatening or abusive language or behaviour, being drunk and disorderly and possession of cannabis.

Jenkinson was remanded in custody while probation service and psychiatric reports were prepared to help magistrates decide how to deal with him.

Counsel for Jenkinson's defence argued that, in spite of the continued lack of a psychiatrist's report, magistrates should conclude the case because his crimes did not warrant the length of time he had already spent inside.

The magistrates agreed and sentenced him to 21 days for the threatening behaviour charge, but Jenkinson was freed because he had already served the time.