A MAN refused to submit to a drugs test because of his anger at being wrongly arrested.

James Friedl, 31, appeared before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.

He admitted failing to provide a sample to test to see if he had drugs in his system.

Magistrates heard that Friedl was arrested by police on December 31.

Officers asked him to give some of his saliva for testing.

He refused and was then charged with the offence.

Jonathan Slawinski, mitigating, said that his client had been arrested on suspicion of a shop theft in Marsh.

However he was not responsible for the theft and subsequently not charged.

Mr Slawinski said: “He didn’t give a sample because he was so cross on New Year’s Eve at being arrested.”

The former Golcar man, who now lives in Cemetery Road in Dewsbury, did admit three other thefts.

On January 13 he stole jars of coffee from the Co-Op filling station on Manchester Road.

A witness saw Friedl stuffing several jars into his pockets before leaving.

Friedl admitted that he was also responsible for thefts from Primark on January 11 and Golcar Co-Op on January 13.

Mr Slawinski said that Friedl’s heavy record was reflective of someone who had struggled with drug addiction.

Magistrates adjourned Friedl’s case so that he can be assessed for a drugs rehabilitation order.

He will be sentenced on January 31.