A YOUTH who armed himself with a hammer, screwdriver and metal bar after ‘hearing’ people talk about his mother has been jailed for 147 days.

Lewis Keers headed into Hartlepool town centre with his collection of improvised weapons after drinking more than a dozen pints of beer.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the defendant had been drinking and was spotted near the Three Brass Monkeys with the weapons before being arrested by police.

Uzma Khan, prosecuting, said Keers was not compliant with officers when he was arrested before causing an injury to himself in the rear of the police vehicle which resulted in him needing medical treatment for his convulsions.

She said: "He said he had been drinking and had 13 pints, he said he heard people saying things about his mother but said he didn't know whether he had heard them in his head or heard someone else saying them."

Miss Khan said Keers was given a two year sentence, suspended for two years in December 2018.

The 20-year-old, of Beaconsfield Street, Hartlepool, pleaded guilty to possession of the three offensive weapons on August 7 this year.

In mitigation, Paul Cleasby said: "He has been out of trouble in excess of two years and his mental health had deteriorated and had contacted his probation officer for help."

Judge Howard Crowson said: "The offensive weapons were never used to threaten anyone, they were not highly dangerous and didn't have a blade."