Man spared jail after he is found with knife for "fishing trip" when entering court building

John Johnstone, 45, said he had forgotten about the lock knife in his bag when a security check at Southampton Crown Court revealed the weapon on July 14 last year.

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Portsmouth Crown Court heard how security confiscated the defendant’s bag before he was arrested and offered a “no comment” interview to police. He later admitted a charge of possessing a blade in public.

Prosecutor Hannah Douglas said: “Mr Johnstone attempted to go into Southampton Crown Court and during the security search was found with a lock knife in his bag. Security confiscated the knife.”

Johnstone has 74 previous offences to his name and committed the offence during the operational period of a suspended sentence for burglary – with him admitting a charge of breaching the order.

Judge, Recorder James Newton-Price KC, said there was “no suggestion of any alarm caused” during the incident, before adding: “You said you used the knife for a fishing trip and had not remembered it was in your bag. I find it quite hard to believe.”

But with Johnstone, a drug addict, making positive progress the judge said it would “not be in the public interest to send you to jail” and would be “unjust” to activate the suspended sentence. Continuing his drug treatment with a rehabilitation course was deemed the best course of action.

Johnstone, of Westridge Road, Southampton, was handed a six-month sentence suspended for 12 months.

After being told Johnstone claims £850 a month in benefits, recorder Newton-Price fined the defendant £400.