A man caught with pepper spray claimed he was given the weapon while making a music video.
Anderson Pinheiro was found with a bottle of the noxious substance when police turned up at his home in Byker, in Newcastle, for an unrelated matter. A court heard that he immediately confessed to having the spray when asked.
The 24-year-old, who has no past convictions, said he was given the weapon by an associate while they were making a music video together and decided to keep it. He was arrested and appeared in the dock at Newcastle Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
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Pinheiro, of Laverock Court, in Byker, pleaded guilty to possessing a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid/gas or electrical incapacitation device. Sentencing him to a 12-month conditional discharge, District Judge Gary Garland said: "These things are only supposed to be in the hands of the police - anyone else having them has no business having them."
The court heard that police attended Pinheiro's address on July 14 in relation to another matter. Prosecutor, James Long, added: "While dealing with the defendant, he revealed he had an object that would cause concern.
"They found it and it was pepper spray. The active ingredient is Capsaicin."
Michael Crowe, defending, said Pinheiro had led a law-abiding life and had never been in trouble with the courts before. He continued: "Mr Pinheiro is interested in making music videos. He was making a video and someone he was assisting with that video gave him this item.
"He decided to take it home. He gave it very little thought until then."
Pinheiro was also ordered to pay a total of £66 in costs and a victim surcharge.
