A man who had an eight-and-a-half inch lock knife concealed in his underwear was carrying it for “protection”, a court has heard.
Joshua Sykes told police who found the weapon that he had it due to drugs debts, adding that the officers would “not understand”.
It was the second time in three months that Sykes had been caught carrying a weapon on the streets of Inverness.
Sykes, 25, appeared via videolink at Inverness Sheriff Court to admit two charges of having a knife in a public place.
Fiscal depute Naomi Duffy-Welsh told the court that it was around 3pm on September 9 last year when police spotted Sykes on Railway Terrace in Inverness, walking in the direction of Longman Road.
Knife-carrying man seemed ‘under the influence’
She said: “They had cause to speak to him and formed the view he was under the influence.
“They also noted that he was fidgeting with the waistband of his trousers.”
Sykes was then searched by the officers.
“On searching the waistband on his trousers they observed a knife secreted in the front of his underwear with the clip to the outside and the blade stowed within the handle against the accused body.”
Further investigation found the item to be a lock knife measuring eight-and-a-half inches when fully extended, with a blade of four-and-a-half inches.
The discovery came less than three months after Sykes had been searched by police on Old Town Road, Inverness, and found to be carrying a “black handled kitchen knife with a blade approximately five inches long”.
Man had knife for ‘protection’
When questioned by officers Sykes said: “I was carrying them for my own protection, yous would not understand, I have drugs debts.”
Ms Duffy-Welsh asked Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald to order the forfeiture of the weapons.
Solicitor Natalie Paterson, for Sykes, asked the sheriff to call for a presentencing report on her client, who is currently remanded in relation to the charges.
Sheriff MacDonald ordered the production of a criminal justice social work report and continued consideration of the motion for forfeiture of the knives until the next calling of the case.
She remanded Sykes, whose address was given as a prisoner in Kilmarnock, in the meantime.