Telford man caught by police with knife down his trousers
A man caught carrying a 7.5 inch blade in the street had called police to say he had been threatened with a knife, a court heard.
Aaron Bagnall was spotted by officers with his hand in his pocket. They drew a taser and ordered to drop the weapon that was concealed in his waistband, Telford Magistrates Court was told.
Mrs Kelly Crowe, prosecuting, said Bagnall had called the police shortly before 3pm to say that he "had a blade pulled on him" and if they did not arrive quickly he would "get a knife himself and go sort it out".
Magistrates heard that when police arrived in Baldwin Webb Avenue, Donnington, Telford, on July 30 the only person they found on the street was the defendant.
Officers drew a taser to force the defendant to produce and drop a large kitchen knife with a 7.5 inch blade which had been tucked into the waistband of his trousers, said Mrs Crowe.
Bagnall, 20, of Hayward Avenue, Donnington, was found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place after a trial on October 16.
Magistrates yesterday gave him a 12-month community order with 200 hours of unpaid work and 35 rehabilitation activity days. He was ordered to pay £1,000 of court costs, a £175 contribution towards prosecution costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
The court heard that Bagnall was a man of good character with no previous convictions.
Mr Chris Grainger, for Bagnall, said a report by the Probation Service showed that his client was receiving help for "mental health difficulties".
He urged magistrates to sentence in line with the conclusion of the report.
Mr Grainger said that although Bagnall still had no fixed address, he had sorted out a correspondence address. He asked magistrates to consider the defendant's limited means.
