Society will no longer tolerate a culture that sees youths routinely arming themselves with deadly weapons before leaving their homes, a sheriff has warned.
Charles Macnair spoke out after a teenager was found guilty of wielding a meat hammer in Fife.
It is the second time in two years that James Kennedy has been convicted of carrying an offensive weapon in public.
The 19-year-old, of Lawrence Street, Buckhaven, was found guilty after trial of being in possession of a meat hammer at Dorward Drive in Crail on April 24.
The offence came just two years after he was convicted of carrying a knife in public.
Kennedy was starting a six-month stretch behind bars on Thursday after Sheriff Macnair called his behaviour unacceptable.
The sheriff also issued a stark warning to any other people who think it is acceptable to arm themselves in public.
He said: “The carrying of weapons on our streets cannot be tolerated and society will not tolerate it.”
Sheriff Macnair said it was an “extremely serious offence” and insisted he had no option but to send Kennedy to detention.
He said: “You were out late at night with this weapon which has a hammer on one side and a thing like an axe on the other.”
“You have a previous conviction for carrying a knife. That offence was not very long ago, having been committed less than two years ago in June 2009.”
Kennedy’s solicitor had appealed for an alternative to custody to be imposed. She said: “He is making efforts to become a useful member of society.”
However, Sheriff Macnair insisted a spell behind bars was the only effective way to demonstrate the court and society’s abhorrence of Kennedy’s repeat offending.