The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A teenager narrowly avoided immediate custody after admitting carrying a combat-type knife in his car.
College student Daniel Upton, of Daniels Gate, Long Sutton, was also in possession of quantities of amphetamine and cannabis.
Boston Magistrates’ Court heard on Wednesday that police found the items with him after being alerted by a member of the public about a disturbance.
Prosecutor Shelley Wilson said a phone call was received from Roman Way, Gedney Dyke, at 3.15pm on November 3, mentioning the possibility of a weapon being involved.
“There was an altercation outside and they were concerned it was escalating. There were two vehicles involved,” she said.
When police later stopped Upton (18) in Onslow Lane, Gedney Drove End, he said: “There might be something under the front seat.”
Miss Wilson said officers recovered a “combat-style knife in a black sheath”.
Upton was arrested and told police in interview that it had been in the car when he bought it two weeks earlier.
He claimed he’d been trying to contact the previous owner and accepted that he should have handed it in to police.
The amphetamine was just under half the £100 amount he had bought.
Upton pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and two counts of possession of a class B drug.
In mitigation, solicitor Helen Coney said there was no evidence to put the defendant at the scene of the altercation.
He had lost his job due to the offences and it was unlikely he would be allowed to go on a placement as part of his health and social care course.
Upton, who had no previous convictions, was given six months’ custody, suspended for a year. There was no separate penalty for the drug offences and he was ordered to pay £122 victim surcharge.
