A man caught with a knife has been jailed after lying to police that he was taking it to work at an Aberdeen hotel.
Officers checked out Brian Regan’s excuse with the nightshift manager at the Copthorne Hotel – only to be told he didn’t work there.
And in court the 32-year-old claimed the knife had been given to him by his mother in Stonehaven to use at home in the kitchen.
Depute fiscal Ruaridh McAllister told Aberdeen Sheriff Court a member of the public had spotted Regan hiding a knife up his sleeve and contacted police.
Officers traced, stopped and searched him and found him in possession of a kitchen knife with a 6.5in blade.
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Mr McAllister said Regan told police he had been on his way to start a shift at the Copthorne Hotel at 11.30pm.
He added: “The nightshift manager at the hotel confirmed the accused didn’t work there.”
Regan, a prisoner of HMP Grampian, pled guilty to possession of the knife on Union Street and King Street on October 29.
Defence agent Lynn Bentley said: “The knife had been gifted or loaned to him by his mother to assist him in food preparation at his accommodation in Johnshaven.
“Had he been found either in Stonehaven or en route to Johnshaven he might have had reasonable excuse. His mistake was travelling through to Aberdeen with the knife in his possession.”
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin jailed him for 13 months.
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