A BRICKLAYER — who was stopped by police for his dodgy driving — was caught with a five-inch knife, an air pistol and a baton in the back of his car.

Zoltan Balogh, who was had been drinking at the time, told police he had been using the air rifle for target practice.

The 35-year-old Hungarian failed a breath test for drink driving at 4.30am on Sunday, March 24.

Police then found the three weapons in his car.

Bolton Crown Court heard Balogh, of no fixed address, said to police: “It’s not good is it?”

Balogh said the baton was in the car when he bought it and that he used the knife for sharpening sticks to put cans on for target practice with the air rifle.

Andrew Evans, prosecuting, said Balogh produced a provisional driving licence, which was in a different name, and showed officers an insurance document which had a different date of birth on it.

He was found to have 42mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath — the legal limit is 35mg.

After speaking to a solicitor in the police cells Balogh gave his real name.

Richard English, defending, said Balogh had never been in trouble in the UK or in Hungary, where he moved from two years ago for a better life.

He is a bricklayer by trade but had been struggling to find employment, the court heard yesterday.

Mr English asked Recorder Peter Cowan to consider a community order due to Balogh already spending nearly five months on remand.

Recorder Cowan, sentencing, said: “The probation officer who completed the pre-sentence report found you showed a poor level of responsibility and didn’t view the law in high regard.”

Balogh admitted drink driving, possessing a false document, possessing a knife, air pistol and baton.

He was sentenced to five months imprisonment for possessing the knife and baton and three months for the air pistol — all sentences will run concurrently.

He was also sentenced to a five month jail term for possessing the false document. The sentence will run consecutively.

He was banned from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a £100 victim surcharge.