A MAN with traces of cocaine on his nostrils sparked alarm and a string of calls to police as he wandered around the streets and stopped to talk to children.

Cameron Aitchison even went to the door of a complete stranger and asked for access to their home so he could use a mobile phone charger.

He was eventually found by police sitting on a bench in someone's back garden with £50 worth of the class A drug still in his pockets, as well as a knife.

Greenock Sheriff Court heard how dad-of-two Aitchison, 27, was reported to the police as 'acting suspiciously' by a number of witnesses on the morning of August 8.

Prosecutor Lindy Scaife said: "A description of a male was passed to officers, and further information they had was that he was under the influence of drink or drugs.

"Police immediately noted that he was under the influence and that he had white powder residue around his nostrils.

"He freely volunteered that he had two bags of cocaine and was maybe in possession of a small pocket knife.

"Two zip-lock bags of cocaine were recovered, with a rough value of £50 in total.

"In a front cargo trouser pocket was a knife contained within a small cylindrical tube with a keyring attached.

"When cautioned and charged the accused stated, 'It's my own doing'."

The court was told how Aitchison was discovered in the back garden of property in Glen Crescent in Inverkip, at around 11am.

Three people had called the police on him.

Fiscal depute Ms Scaife said: "The witnesses gave different locations for the accused around Inverkip.

"He had asked one for a drink and if it would be possible to come into their house to use a phone charger.

"Another witness described the accused as appearing to be 'casing' properties in the area.

"The third phoned on the basis he was acting suspiciously and had spoken to some children."

Defence lawyer Ashley Pollock told how the incident had 'truly been a wake-up call' for her client — a first offender and manager of a tyres and MOT garage.

Miss Pollock said: "Mr Aitchison was actually found within the garden of a friend's property, having consumed alcohol and cocaine.

"He had been looking for his friend's address and that explains how he was looking for a phone charger in order to contact his friend.

"He came to the realisation that he was addicted to cocaine and has self-referred to addiction services with fortnightly appointments.

"He is described as motivated and he has not consumed alcohol since this incident."

Solicitor Miss Pollock added: "The knife was given to him by a customer and he used it to pick pieces of glass and stones out of tyres at his work."

Sheriff Joseph Hughes deferred sentence until January 8 for a background report and told Aitchison, whose address was not given in court: "This is a serious matter."