A man who admitted a public order offence said he lost his cool as he felt he was being harassed by the police.
He was stopped and searched but nothing was found.
Washoma, defending himself, said: “I was on my way home and not causing anyone any trouble. I thought they were harassing me. They would not say who the person was who made the allegation.”
Washoma, 32, said the police officers told him they were stopping and searching him after reports he might be carrying a weapon.
Washoma said: “They said they believed I had a weapon - a knife or a gun or something. I said that’s insane - I’ve never had those things.
“They searched me and didn’t find anything but kept asking me about weapons. I asked them who had told them this, but they refused to tell me.”
The prosecution said Washoma began swearing as an elderly couple walked past, so he was arrested for a public order offence.
Washoma said: “I was getting annoyed as they were searching me when there was clearly nothing on me.
“I effed and blinded and said something like “this is a f***ing joke” but there was no-one around. It was the early hours of the morning. There was no-one on the street.They said “we are going to nick you for a public order offence”.”
Chair of magistrates Ian McDonnell said: “I can see how this has arisen but you must understand the police must act on information received. They cannot make up that information and they have to act on it.”
Washoma was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £15 surcharge.
Mr McDonnell said: “A bit of advice I can give you is: be compliant. You get wound up, the police get wound up and there’s only going to be one winner - and it’s not you.”