A “STUPID” Dudley man was caught armed with a cosh while driving around Wordsley with a friend who was drug dealing.

Judge Nicholas Cole told Jackson Collins, aged 21, it was clear drug dealing was a high risk activity and he could have chosen to carry the weapon in case of trouble.

He accepted Collins had not produced or used the wooden bar but told him: “People who carry around weapons of any sort must know it will be taken seriously by the courts.

“It is plain you were aware he was involved in drug dealing and it may be why you chose to arm yourself with a weapon.”

Collins, of Hawkesley Road, Russells Hall, admitted possessing an offensive weapon, he was placed on supervision for a year, ordered to pay £150 costs and carry out 100 hours unpaid work.

Jas Mann, prosecuting, told Wolverhampton Crown Court patrolling police officers saw a car that was being driven erratically.

They signalled for the vehicle to stop and saw the passenger throw what turned out to be drugs through a window.

When the vehicle was searched the officers found a wooden bat tucked down by the driver’s side – a weapon described by the judge as “an old fashioned cosh.”

Jabeen Akhtar, for Collins, said her client had been “completely stupid”, she added: “He had no intention of using this weapon, it was just there in case of trouble."

She said: “He would never have used it. He is not someone who goes around carrying weapons like this.”