A DRUNK man who swore at officers as they tried to search him was found to be carrying a kitchen knife and later told police a cocktail of vodka and hallucinogenics “usually calms him down”.

Jack Chandler, 25, was stopped in Dovercourt after officers received a call from a worried member of the public.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard the caller say Chandler had a knife in his pocket and he was heading in the direction of Grange Road.

Officers arrived 20 minutes later and told the intoxicated Chandler he was going to be searched.

The court heard when asked to put his bag down and show his hands, he told the officers to “f*** off”.

Officers found a kitchen knife with a serrated blade in his jacket.

In custody, Chandler, of Grange Road, Dovercourt, said he had been at a friend’s home when the police were called due to his swearing.

He left and began to walk home, picking up a knife which he accepted he “had no reason to carry”.

The court heard he told officers he had drunk half a bottle of vodka, had taken LSD and was on medication to combat psychosis and bipolar disorder.

He told police it was a “mixture that usually calms him down”, but “he was intoxicated and his judgement wasn’t good”.

Ian Clift, mitigating, said his client has no previous convictions and was taking medication which could cause him to act compulsively.

“He made full admissions in interview,” he said. “He has come from an address where he picked up the item, put it in his bag and left. There is no suggestion any members of the public were at risk or at harm.

“There was an initial verbal exchange with an officer, but after that he was cooperative and pleaded guilty today.”

Under a community order, Magistrates ordered Chandler to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and pay £200 in court costs.

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