Plain clothed officers find pepper spray in man's bag during search in Motherwell

A man caught carrying illegal pepper spray protested that he wouldn't have been charged with a crime in his native Poland.

Cans of the substance - used to ward off attackers - are sold legally virtually everywhere, Hamilton Sheriff Court heard on Friday.

But Mateusz Jarzynka, 30, of Kylemore Crescent, Motherwell, faced a charge under the UK's Firearms Act. He admitted carrying a canister of the noxious liquid spray near his home on August 24 2022.

An allegation that he was also in possession of cannabis was dropped.

Scott O'Connor, prosecuting, said plain clothes police officers had their attention drawn to Jarzynka and they stopped to speak to him then carried out a search.

A canister marked 'Pepper, anti-aggression' was found in his shoulder bag.

Defence lawyer Paul Dunne said Jarzynka found the canister on the ground.

He explained: "My client is Polish and these items are commonplace there. They are on sale in almost every corner shop.

"No Polish woman living in a city would go out without one."

Mr Dunne said Jarzynka had planned to hand in the spray to the police after a friend told him possession is illegal in this country.

Sheriff Linda Nicolson deferred sentence on the first offender until next month for background reports and continued his bail.

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