DISGRACED lawyer Angus Diggle considered himself famous and the legal system 'slime', Bolton magistrates were told.

Diggle was arrested when he interfered in police business in Bolton's town centre 'red light' area.

Diggle, aged 39, of Bromwich Street, Bolton pleaded not guilty to being drunk and disorderly on Sunday November 26 last year.

Mr Bernard Donnally, prosecuting, said that being drunk was a state in which a person who had drunk intoxicants was not in control.

Police Sgt Ian Campbell said at 4.25pm on November 26 he and Police Constable Colin MacDiarmid were on foot patrol in Glebe Street in the town centre red light area.

He added that they were talking to a man and two women, one of whom was suspected of being a prostitute, when he became aware of a man standing behind him.

Sgt Campbell said it was Diggle who 'demanded to know what was going on'.

Diggle was told that it was nothing to do with him, and the Sgt described his attitude as 'arrogant and argumentative'.

Sgt Campbell said that Diggle's speech was slurred and he was unsteady on his feet and he was advised to go home.

The officer added: "He then said 'do you know who I am? I'm a famous person'. "I said 'who are you?'. He replied 'I'm not telling you'."

Sgt Campbell went on: "He then said 'the criminal justice system and the Home Secretary in this country are slime and so are you'."

The officer said that after three warnings Diggle was arrested and replied: "You are just filthy slime. You know you can't arrest me."

He said that Diggle went on: "You can't do this, you slime. I want your name. I'm going to complain."

PC MacDiarmid said that he handcuffed Diggle who was very aggressive and who said: "Take your filthy hands off me."

In the police van on the way to the station he demanded to know the name of the Chief Constable.

Diggle told the court that he was a solicitor but not practising and on November 26 he had drunk four or five glasses of wine with his lunch after a morning in a gymnasium and had then slept for an hour.

He added that he was on his way to the railway station to travel to Manchester when he came across the incident in Glebe Street. Diggle told the court that in a previous case against him, evidence had been falsified and he had intended to tell the two women to seek legal advice as soon as possible.

In 1993, Diggle was sentenced to three years jail for the attempted rape of a woman lawyer. The sentence was reduced to two years on appeal and he actually served 12 months.

Afterwards he was barred from practising as a solicitor for 12 months.

Diggle yesterday denied calling the legal system or the police as 'slime' and demanding to know why the police were questioning the other three people.

He added: "I did not struggle or swear. I was not drunk. I was very tired and emotional, but I was totally in control."

But Diggle was convicted and fined £75 and ordered to pay £125 costs.

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