A man who claimed he had used a craft knife for working on carpets has been jailed for 30 months at Perth Sheriff Court.
The court heard that police on patrol became aware of Stanley Rodwell, 45, of St Johnstoun’s Buildings, Charles Street, Perth, standing at the junction of Canal Street and Speygate in the city at around 2.20am.
“When the accused saw the officers he ran off,” depute fiscal John Malpass said.
“Police traced him at Speygate and spotted a Stanley knife on him.”
Solicitor Cliff Culley, defending, said his client had used the knife for work on carpets during the previous day.
“My client had gone out to buy cigarettes from a garage,” he went on.
“He knew he had this knife on his person and panicked when he saw the police.”
Sentencing Rodwell, Sheriff Fiona Tait told him: “The only sentence I can impose here is a period of imprisonment, given the nature of the charge and the fact this was the third such offence you have committed.”
The sheriff backdated the sentence to July 3 to take account of the time Rodwell had already spent in custody.
