A REPEAT offender caught with an illegal canister of CS gas claimed he found the substance on the ground while on the run from police.

John Lee Riley, of Flint Court, Ellesmere Port, admitted possessing the noxious gas but claimed he thought it was a mobile phone cover that he found when he tripped and fell over as he tried to escape from a police officer.

Chester and Ellesmere Port Magistrates Court heard how, on April 26 this year, Riley, 35, was seen acting suspiciously by a police officer at Ellesmere Port Railway Station.

When the officer asked him questions he saw unemployed Riley was physically shaking as he gave him details that later proved to be false, before breaking off into a run.

Sue Gibson, prosecuting, told how the officer gave chase and found Riley, who was now wearing a black hooded top, at a nearby housing estate.

He was subsequently arrested and was found to be wearing two tracksuit bottoms, in the bottom pair of which was a canister of CS gas.

Despite already having a ‘substantial record’ including cases relating to offensive weapons, Riley denied knowing what the item was, claiming he slipped it into his pocket when he saw the officer approaching.

Peter Casson, defending, admitted Riley had a ‘fairly lengthy record’ but said on this occasion he ‘initially panicked’ and the weapon had been ‘inside his pocket all the time, it wasn’t as if he was waving it around’.

Mr Casson said: “Despite the fact he has been in court on many occasions over the past 15-20 years, the last time the probation service was involved was in 2004.

“He knows this is a serious matter and he wants to change his life and with his record it will be difficult but it doesn’t mean he should be given up on; prison obviously doesn’t work for him.”

Riley is due to be sentenced on July 30.