An Aberdeen man found in possession of a knife explained to police officers he needed it to survive the “war” being waged on the streets of Tillydrone.
Dainis Maidelis, 47, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted having a lock knife in his pocket alongside £250 of cocaine.
When asked what he was doing with the blade, Maidelis told them he had been “robbed before”, adding: “This is Tillydrone, this is war.”
Fiscal depute Stephanie Cardow told the court that at around 2.25pm on August 2 2022, police officers on patrol observed Maidelis cycling towards them along Tillydrone Avenue.
They believed he was concealing alcoholic drink, so they requested that he stop his bike and show them what he had in his possession.
‘I have been robbed before’
Maidelis did not immediately stop so officers removed him from it by force.
As they conducted a search, they observed the handle of a knife sticking out of his pocket.
The officers found the cocaine in his other pocket.
When they quizzed Maidelis about the knife, he stated: “I didn’t take it out. I have been robbed before.
“This is Tillydrone, this is war,” he added.
In the dock, Maidelis pleaded guilty to one charge of having a bladed object in a public place without a reasonable excuse.
He also admitted a second charge of being in possession of controlled drug, namely cocaine.
Maidelis pleaded guilty to a further charge of failing to appear at a previous hearing of this case.
‘He was on a day off’
Defence solicitor Jenny Logan told the court that her client claimed he had been working as a painter and decorator and that’s why he was in possession of the knife.
“Mr Maidelis had not taken it out of his pocket and he was not brandishing it about – he was on a day off,” she said.
“He says the knife was broken but he accepts he had it on his person.”
Regarding the cocaine, Ms Logan said her client had been a drug user and stated that this was “the high point” in his drug addiction.
Sheriff Rory Bannerman told Maidelis that being found in possession of a knife “would immediately see someone appear on petition”.
Describing it as a “serious matter”, Sheriff Bannerman made Maidelis, of Lewis Road, Aberdeen, subject to a community payback order with supervision and ordered him to carry out 80 hours of unpaid work.
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