A man has been placed on an electronic tag after he stashed a Stanley knife just yards from a police station.
Edgar Teniuch, 38, was found in possession of the knife by two off-duty police officers, who found him scrabbling around the ground near the police car park behind Marischal College.
The two officers had just finished their shift, the Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard, on June 22, 2023 at around 10pm and were walking along Queen Street when they spotted Teniuch acting suspiciously.
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann said: “They observed the [Teniuch] searching an area of grass adjacent to the Marischal College Police Station car park.
“As such, they questioned what he was looking for, to which he stated, ‘a knife’.
Asked what he was doing
“Due to this comment, they identified themselves as police officers.
“On doing this, he began to retract his statement about looking for a knife.
“They thereafter observed [Teniuch] pick up an item from the ground and place it behind his back.”
Teniuch was told to drop the knife, and he did.
His defence agent Kevin Longino explained that his client had been doing some “ad-hoc” work and had the Stanley knife with him.
Stashed it behind police station
Deciding to go for a drink after work, Mr Longino said Teniuch had thought it a good idea to stash the knife somewhere out of sight, so it was not on his person.
“It is a bit of a farce that he left it in the grassy area outside a police station,” Mr Longino said.
“He went to get it on his way home. He recognises he should have gone home first and left the knife there.
“It was incredibly stupid – I’m not sure what was going through his mind – but he stashed it.”
Mr Longino explained that his client had an alcohol problem and does not have a large circle of friends, adding: “He just sits and drinks.”
Sheriff Philip Mann accepted that there was “nothing sinister” about Teniuch having the weapon, but said it was concerning that he had a knife in public after consuming alcohol.
He sentenced Teniuch, of Northfield Place, Aberdeen, to a community disposal and placed him under a Restriction of Liberty Order for six months.