TWO county brothers have admitted refusing to wear face masks in a pub and verbally abusing police officers.

Barry Rutherford, 29, and Lee Rutherford, 28, also threatened pub staff during the incident last month.

Barry Rutherford, who is currently living at an address in Port Seton, had to be taken to hospital due to his drunken state by police.

And while on route to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, he aimed racist and homophobic abuse at the constable transporting him.

Meanwhile, Lee Rutherford, of Drummohr Holiday Park, west of Prestonpans, also abused one police officer with homophobic remarks after police had been called to deal with the brothers' rowdy behaviour on September 17.

Both men appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on Monday, where they pleaded guilty to several charges of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner.

The court was told that the brothers entered The Eagle Inn in Dunbar and were asked to put a face mask on but they refused to cooperate.

They were both refused service and they headed off to The Golf Tavern in Haddington later that evening.

Again, they were refused service and, after shouting and swearing at staff, the police were called in to deal with them.

It was at this point that both men began verbally abusing the officers.

On Monday, both brothers were released on bail and sentence was deferred to next month.

Barry Rutherford admitted behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at The Eagle Inn, Dunbar. He also pleaded guilty to uttering offensive and homophobic remarks to a constable while on route to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

The older brother also admitted to a third charge of police assault.

Meanwhile, Lee Rutherford pleaded guilty to behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at The Golf Tavern and at the Waterside Bistro, both in Haddington.

All the offences were committed on September 17 and both men will be sentenced on November 10.