A wanted man captured after emergency crews pulled him from the South Saskatchewan River last week told court he was high on crystal methamphetamine at the time of the overnight swim, according to a Crown prosecutor.

Crown prosecutor Frank Impey said Curtis McKenzie — who court heard had cut off his nose while serving time in a federal penitentiary — told a Saskatoon court this week he was high when he was swimming in the river.

Emergency crews responded to the water at about 4 a.m. July 27. A person had reported hearing someone swimming in the river, near the University Bridge.

Firefighters launched a boat to remove McKenzie from the water, but he was combative and attempted to swim from rescuers, according to Impey.

He was only pulled from the water after police became involved, and at one point in the night he was placed in a restraint jacket while at the Saskatoon police headquarters, Impey said. He also caused $900 in damage to his holding cell at the police station.

The 25-year-old, who was wanted on a Canada-wide warrant for being unlawfully at large, was charged with assaulting a police officer, police said in a news release.

He pleaded guilty this week to assaulting a police officer and mischief and was handed a five-month sentence, according to Impey.