POLICE who visited a property in Carlisle as part of an investigation found that one of the residents living there had three illegal pepper sprays.

Patryk Wozinszki, 35, had also "taken possession of" a small quantity of cannabis and cocaine which had originally belonged to a previous tenant, magistrates heard. As a result, he pleaded guilty to five offences, the two drugs possession charges and three charges of possessing illegal weapons.

The city’s Rickergate court heard that police visited the defendant’ Aglionby Street home in the city on September  7 last year as part of a separate investigation.

The defendant volunteered the information about the three pepper sprays when police asked if there was anything in the flat that they should know about.

He also mentioned the cannabis and cocaine – in small quantities which prosecutors accepted were consistent with personal use.

Duncan Campbell, defending, said Wozinszki, a professional lorry driver, had no idea the pepper spray devices he had were illegal in the UK. “They’re not [illegal] everywhere,” said the lawyer. They were given to Wozinszki by somebody he had done a favour for.

Referring to the drugs, Mr Campbell said: “They were just there.

“He is not a regular drug user because he is an HGV driver and would not risk his livelihood. He had a bit of a dabble but taking drugs is not something that interests him.”

Magistrates imposed a fine of £833, with costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £333.

The defendant agreed to settle his £1,251 debt to the court over the next three months. As the case concluded, he said he believed there was only a tiny amount of drugs in his property.