A hammer wielding man threatened a complete stranger in the centre of Exeter after taking legal highs.
Samuel Tigwell was already drunk at 8.30 am when he and a friend approached a man they did not know in South Street and shouted foul mouthed abuse.
He was caught on CCTV as he took a wooden handled hammer out of his fried's backpack and used it to threaten victim Aaron Small, who ran away from them.
Tigwell went on to abuse the police who came to arrest him, threatening to headbutt one constable. He later spat at an officer and fouled his cell by urinating in it.
A Judge ordered a pre sentence report on Tigwell despite him failing to keep an earlier appointment with the probation service.
Sofa surfer Tigwell, aged 23, whose last permanent address was Cunningham Road, Exmouth, admitted having an offensive weapon, common assault and criminal damage.
Recorder Mr Frank Abbott adjourned the case at Exeter Crown Court for a probation pre sentence report.
Miss Beth Heaton, prosecuting, said Tigwell and another man called Rory McGrane approached the victim in South Street, Exeter, on August 28 at around 8.30 am and started shouting at him.
She said:"The defendant produced a hammer from McGrane and shouted 'who's got the money? McGrane punched him once and he walked away, followed by the two men.
"Tigwell continued to make threats. He was described as looking very angry and Mr Small thought he was drunk.
"There was no further violence and Tigwell returned a couple of minutes later and explained he had been on a bender and said he had respect for Mr Small's family."
Mr Small made a victim impact statement which said he felt alarmed and confused because there was no reason for the two men to have done this.
Police arrested him and he was abusive to the officers, kicking out and telling one "I'll headbutt the first one who comes near."
He later spat at another officer through the bars of his cell and urinated on the floor.
Mr Piers Norsworthy, defending, said Tigwell would benefit from help from the probation service and asked the judge to give him another chance to cooperate in the making of a report.
He said:"He needs assistance from agencies such as the probation service. His past offending arose from a combination of gross misuse of alcohol on a regular basis and the use of legal highs."
McGrane, aged 20, of Louisa Terrace, Exmouth, has received a community penalty at Exeter Magistrates Court for his part in the incident.
