Hanley dusthead armed with dagger told 'future is not in pot of monkey dust'

Homeless James Hopper was caught with a dagger and monkey dust - just a week after being released from prison. Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard the 33-year-old has 52 previous convictions for 108 offences, including two previous offences for possessing a blade.

It was on March 15 when police found Hopper with the dagger and two containers of monkey dust in Hanley. Now he has been jailed for six months.

Hopper told police he had only had the dagger for an hour - after exchanging it as part of a drugs deal.

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Hopper, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in public and possessing a class B drug.

Steve Hennessy, mitigating, conceded Hopper faces the minimum six-month prison sentence because he has two previous convictions for possessing knives in public. He said Hopper was homeless after his release from custody and 'had nothing to his name'.

Mr Hennessy said: "Two days before his arrest he was admitted to Harplands Hospital after a suicide attempt. The knife was for self-harming. He has a history of self-harming. There is a significant issue in relation to his state of mental health. He is more optimistic that now he has engaged with neuro-medics that he can finally get himself sorted out and move on without the need to medicate using illicit substances. He is asking for a last chance."

Jailing Hopper, Judge Michael Maher said: "You had been out of prison for a week. You are a prolific offender. Chaos is the dominant feature in your life. Bladed articles are not some sort of fashion accessory to be carried around.

"In the probation report, you accept difficulties with controlling your anger and that is a worrying characteristic for someone carrying a knife. I do not want to crush you. These are the best years of your life and the future is not in a pot of monkey dust."

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