A man caught with a kitchen knife outside an Aberdeen strip club told police officers he had it “for protection”.
Alans Tancs was spotted marching down Bridge Street with the knife in his hand in the early hours of the morning by an alarmed member of the public.
Police were quickly informed and raced down the street to where Tancs was speaking to two women outside the former Silhouettes strip club, now Foxy.
The officers tackled the 20-year-old to the ground and found the blade in his gilet pocket.
He explained to the officers: “I was stabbed last week and it’s for protection.”
Fiscal depute Emma Petersen told Aberdeen Sheriff Court the incident happened at 12.45am on February 3 last year.
She said: “Officers had been on mobile patrol in the city centre when they were approached by a member of the public reporting that a man was walking down Bridge Street with a knife in his hand.
‘Under the influence’
“The member of the public provided a description of the male and the officers ran towards the establishment called Silhouettes where the accused, who was wearing the clothing described by the member of the public, was speaking with two females.
“The officers could not satisfactorily see the accused’s hands and took him to the ground in order to take control of him.”
Tancs admitted to the officers he had a knife and they recovered the item, which had a blade length of 15cm, from his gilet pocket.
Ms Petersen said: “On being conveyed to the police vehicle, and having been cautioned and detained, the accused made the remark ‘I was stabbed last week and it’s for protection’.”
However, just a day later, Tancs was back out and assaulted a nightclub promoter, who did not know him, on the same street.
Ms Petersen said: “Around 11.50pm the complainer had walked along Union Street, turned right onto Bridge Street and was speaking to other promotors.
“A white car pulled up across the road and the accused, who was a passenger, exited the vehicle, approached the complainer and asked the complainer a question which the complainer told the police was something that happened a month ago with a girl.
“One of the complainer’s colleagues overheard mention of ‘paying someone to hit someone’ and the accused saying something similar to ‘why did you kiss Sandy’s girlfriend’ with the individual Sandy being a regular at the complainer’s place of work.”
Following the comments, without warning, Tancs punched the man on the head and kicked him on the leg and ribs as he tried to defend himself.
‘Positive changes to his life’
The promoter reported the incident to his manager and door staff who contacted CCTV operators who directed police to Tancs.
Ms Petersen said: “Officers who apprehended the accused noted him to be under the influence.”
Tancs, of Wallace House, Provost Graham Avenue, Aberdeen, pled guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and to assault.
Defence agent Jenny Logan said her client’s account of the incidents was detailed in a “positive” social work report which was not made public.
She added the assault had been influenced by Tancs’ consumption of alcohol and “concerns” about a friend’s partner.
The solicitor said Tancs was now making “positive changes to his life”.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin said a community payback order would be appropriate, but deferred sentence until later this month.
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