Sunderland man 'didn't know how he had cocaine and claw hammer' when caught by police

Andrew Forster, 47, insisted to police he had no idea how the weapon got into his jacket pocket and the drugs his tobacco pouch.

But Forster, of Darcy Court, Hendon, was not so baffled he did not accept the full prosecution case against him during a court appearance.

He was in possession of the hammer - deemed an offensive weapon in law if held in a public place – when searched in a Hendon back lane on Friday, July 5.

And the cocaine was uncovered when he emptied his pockets in Southwick police station after his arrest, prosecutor Emma O’Hegarty said.

Mrs O’Hegarty told magistrates in South Tyneside: “An officer arrived on the scene and was shown an image of an offender.

“She conducted an area search and went to the rear lane of Hendon Burn Avenue West.

“She searched the defendant and in his left pocket was a claw hammer. He was arrested for the offence.

“Whilst in custody being searched, an officer located two foils of drugs in a tobacco pouch. They were tested and found to be cocaine.

“There is an application for the forfeiture and destruction of the weapon and the drugs.”

Forster pleaded guilty to charges of possession of an offensive weapon and possession of controlled class A drug cocaine.

He has four previous convictions from five offences, the last a burglary in 2020, it was said.

Ben Hurst, defending, said Forster committed the offences while suffering from ongoing mental health problems.

Mr Hurst added: “This was an incident that is now out of character. He’s a man who has been out of trouble for some time. 

“His mother passed away five months ago and he’s somebody who needs help.

“The facts are not disputed on this occasion. He simply can’t remember how he had the claw hammer.

“He denies using cocaine at all. He doesn’t know how that was there.”

Magistrates adjourned the case for reports and granted Forster unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, October 8.