A daredevil climber who had to be rescued after scaling a 200ft crane could be looking at a LIFE prison sentence, a court heard.

Benjamin Hay, 23, decided to scale the structure at the Manchester city centre building site after police refused to give him a lift home to Radcliffe in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Manchester Magistrates Court heard how Hay, an 'urban explorer', thought that breaking the law would force the police to take him home and started climbing at 3.30am.

He then sat up there for TWO hours but his legs went numb and emergency services - including three fire engines, ambulances and police cars - had to be called to get him down.

He appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court on Thursday morning and pleaded guilty to causing a nuisance to the public and being in possession of cannabis.

Prosecuting, Nicola Ormerod said Hay had been on a night out and had no money left for a taxi home so asked police for a ride.

She said: “When police laughed it off he asked if he could charge his mobile phone as ‘it only had three per cent battery left’.”

Hay then said he would do something to break the law so the police would take him home. He then climbed the crane in St Peter’s Square building site where a new Metrolink spur is being constructed as part of a massive overhaul.

She said: ”He was heard shouting ‘I’m not coming down. I am sitting here until the sun comes up.’”

But added that after his two hour stint he shouted his ‘legs were dead’.

When he got to the ground he was found to have cannabis in his possession and was arrested.

'Odd defence'

She said: “It’s not understood exactly how much this incident amounted to for the emergency services but would it would be extensive costs.”

Adrian Palmer, defending, said: “In the cold light of day his stupid action are clear for all to hear. He understands the enormity and stupidity of what he has done.”

He said it was an ‘odd’ offence and the first he had ever seen.

But District Judge Khalid Qureshi told Hay he could be looking at life imprisonment for his ‘crass of stupidity’, as the common law offence carries no maximum tariff.

Hay, who afterwards described himself as an ‘urban explorer’ and claims to have climbed many of the city’s building including Beetham Tower.

Speaking after the hearing Hay, who has his own clothing line of hats, said he was sorry for his actions.

He said: “I broke the law and I shouldn’t have done it and I do apologise.”

The case was adjourned until November 26 for sentencing.