A MAN has been fined for wasting police time after inventing a knifepoint robbery tale in the hope of winning sympathy from his drug dealer.

West Midlands Police said the 22-year-old claimed he was walking the streets of Dudley in the early hours of Friday morning (February 27) to clear his head following a family spat.

The man, from Wollaston said he was “jumped” by four men who bundled him down an alleyway and stole his wallet.

He called police just before 6am to report the attack but when questioned by officers his story quickly collapsed.

His recollection of events became hazy when officers asked the man to detail his route so they could check if town centre CCTV had caught his attackers on camera.

Eventually he admitted making the story up in the hope it would convince a drug dealer to overlook a £40 cannabis debt.

Detective Chief Inspector Phil Dolby, of Dudley Police, said: “He claimed the ‘attackers’ threatened to ‘get serious’ on him and that he feared for his life.

“He planned to use the ‘robbery’ as an excuse to avoid paying a drug debt but he’s now got to find an additional £80 for wasting police time.

“False reports of this kind deflect police away from genuine crimes. We need our officers free to attend real calls for help from the public, not tied up with people inventing crimes for their own ends.

“On this occasion he walked away with a fine but false reporting can result in a prison sentence for trying to pervert the course of justice."

The man, who claimed to have been robbed off New Street, Dudley, was also directed to an organisation that helps people with drug issues.