conditional discharge from Magistrates' Court yesterday for drinking alcohol in a public place.

Derek Hassell, 42, and Ronald Jefferies, 48, pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in a public place on August 10.

Hassell and Jefferies were seen pouring brown alcohol into glasses while sitting on a bench at Albouy's Point, Police prosecutor Sgt. John Dale told the court.

An officer at the scene pointed out to the two men that they were breaking the law after he confiscated the bottle and found it contained alcohol, Sgt. Dale said.

The officer arrested the two men and detained them at Hamilton Police Station.

"I felt sick to my stomach, so my friend asked me if I wanted a drink of some rum,'' Hassell told Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis yesterday.

And Jefferies said there was nowhere for him to have a "social'' drink, because the Salvation Army would not allow alcohol on its premises.

Mr. Francis gave each man a conditional discharge for a year and warned that next time a custodial sentence would be implemented.