Black Mamba addict jailed for having hammer near Wolverhampton's Mander Centre
A homeless man found near a busy shopping centre with a hammer told a court he wants to return to Lithuania to break his Black Mamba addiction.
Darius Karoblis, aged 28, was found carrying the hammer, a homemade screwdriver and scissors in Woolpack Alley, which links Dudley Street to the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton city centre.
He later admitted carrying an offensive weapon in a public place and appeared at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced.
Mr Simon Hanns, defending, told the court his client has had a problem with Black Mamba while living in the UK and wanted to leave the country whatever his punishment.
Black Mamba is a former legal high which was reclassified as a Class B controlled drug last May under the Psychoactive Substances Act.
He said: "This is a very sad state of affairs. My client wishes to return to his native Lithuania whatever sentence is imposed today.
"He has had a problem with Black Mamba while living in this country and wants to sort it out.
"He is a homeless man, albeit with occasional respite from that, and he knows that what he did was wrong."
Recorder Anthony Lowe sentenced Karoblis to 21 weeks behind bars meaning he will be unable to immediately return to Lithuania.
The court heard police searched Karoblis - whose most recent address was given as Cope Street, Province Close, Heath Town - on March 1 because of his suspicious demeanour and found the hammer, screwdriver and scissors.
He told the officers the hammer was for his protection and in interview said the screwdriver was for taking items apart which he discovered in the street.
Recorder Lowe ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the three items.
Passing sentence, he said: "You told police the hammer was for your personal protection and you also said you were addicted to Black Mamba.
"There has also been reference to you suffering from paranoia and schizophrenia although I have not had a psychiatric report.
"I understand entirely that if you are living on the street there is a danger that there is not necessarily for people who are not on the streets.
"But the law cannot be different for people who live on the streets. If I were to regard that as an exceptional circumstance I would be giving the green light for everyone living on the streets to carry an offensive weapon.
"The combination of your Black Mamba addiction and mental health is a volatile mix."
