Inverness man jailed for carrying knife

A MAN seen by police crossing a railway line and climbing a fence into a garden last month was stopped and searched for drugs.

Although they found no drugs on Noel Sutherland they discovered a knife blade in his sock, Inverness Sheriff Court heard.

Fiscal Ian Smith told Sheriff Margaret Neilson, that Sutherland (22) of Grosvenor Hotel, Inverness was seen at about 2.50am climbing the fence and when they approached him he appeared nervous.

On the way to the police station in Burnett Road, Sutherland was aggressive and kicked the police van door.

He admitted on December 16 last year being in possession of an offensive weapon and acting aggressively likely to cause fear and alarm.

He admitted a further charge of stealing a jumper from TK Maxx on November 23 last year. The jumper was recovered.

Defence solicitor Craig Wood told the court Sutherland had been at his girlfriend’s helping her to decorate a tree and he was on his way back to his sister’s house when he was stopped by the police climbing into a neighbour’s garden.

It was a shortcut he often used, Mr Wood said.

"He had been using the knife to cut tinsel. He stood on the sofa and put the blade in his sock."

The solicitor added that it was a Stanley knife-type blade and if used in a stabbing motion he would be likely to injure himself. He had put it into his sock for safety while he stood on the sofa then forgot about it.

Sheriff Neilson remarked that it was an unusual place to put the knife.

Mr Wood said: "It makes a change from the excuse that it’s being used to cut granny’s carpet."

Mr Wood added that Sutherland had been serving a period in Perth prison where he was undergoing a health and safety course with the hope of securing working in the building industry. "He would like to go straight," added Mr Wood.

Sheriff Neilson told Sutherland the court always took a serious view of people carrying blades of any description.

She jailed him for 20 weeks.