Telford angler 'forgot' he was carrying a knife
A Telford teenager who was stopped by police officers investigating knife crime in the area was not a member of a gang but someone who had forgotten he was still carrying a fishing knife, his solicitor told magistrates.
Dreece Jordan Bateman pleaded guilty to carrying a bladed article in a public place when he appeared before Telford Magistrates Court.
Mr Chris Coughlan, prosecuting, said that police officers had been carrying out high visibility checks in Telford on the evening of August 8 following intelligence they had received on gang-related knife crime and an incident the previous week.
Police had carried out a search of Bateman and found the 1.5-inch blade lock-knife in his pockets.
He told officers that he had been out fishing and had forgotten he was still carrying it, said Mr Coughlan.
Mr John McMillan, for Bateman, said the defendant was a "fairly keen fisherman" and had been taking part in the sport since he was nine years old.
On the day of the search, he said, the defendant had been out fishing for carp at the pool near Aldi that day.
Bateman, of St Matthews Road, Donnington, had changed clothes at his friend's house where he had left his equipment, but the teenager had forgotten that he was still carrying a knife in his pocket when they left the house, the court heard.
The 19-year-old defendant had transferred the knife from his jacket to his trouser pocket, to make sure it did not fall out, when he realised he had it, Mr McMillan told magistrates.
Because the blade was locked in position the knife was only legal if an appropriate reason could be given for carrying it, said Mr McMillan said.
He added that in this case there was no excuse as Bateman was not fishing at the time of the search by officers.
Bateman also pleaded guilty to one count of failing to surrender to bail on August 24.
He was given a further 40 hours of unpaid work to add to a community order he was already serving for an incident of criminal damage.
The defendant was also fined £50 for failing to surrender to bail and ordered to pay a total of £325 in various court charges.
The court heard that Bateman had recently been made redundant from office equipment giant Ricoh but was seeking work through agencies.
