A teenager who was caught with a knife in a busy Perth shopping centre has been locked up.
Brandon McCluskey told cops he had taken the blade out “for protection” after several people had made threats against him.
The 18-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted having a bladed article in the city centre on January 25.
The court heard McCulskey, listed as a prisoner in HMP Polmont, has a previous conviction for assault with a knife.
Sheriff William Wood told him that he had “run out of opportunities”.
999 call
Fiscal depute Lora Apostalova told the court: “At around 1pm, a member of the public called police on 999.
“She told them she had observed the accused walking through St John’s Shopping Centre with a knife concealed in his pocket.”
Ms Apostalova said officers traced McCluskey on High Street, walking away from the retail complex.
“They recognised him from the description they had been given,” she said.
“They approached him from behind and placed handcuffs on him.”
McCluskey was searched and a “lockable Stanley knife” was found his trouser pocket.
He told police it was “for his own protection”.
Threats
Defence solicitor Scott Norrie told the court: “This is a young man with a troubled background.
“He had a very difficult upbringing.”
The lawyer said: “As he stated to the police, he had this with him for his own protection.
“At the time, there were about half a dozen individuals who had made threats to Mr McCluskey.”
The court heard that McCluskey had a conviction for assault with a knife from 2021.
Mr Norrie described his client as young and “naive”.
Sheriff William Wood told the teenager: “Having a knife for protection is not a reasonable excuse.
“In fact, it is almost an aggravation.
“Effectively, you are putting a blade in a public place which otherwise would not have been there.”
The sheriff said: “To a certain extent, you have run out of opportunities.
“This was a serious offence and you have a previous conviction for assault with a knife, and because of that I am satisfied that a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
McCluskey was locked up for six months.
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