Police found driver had knuckle duster and cocaine in car

She told Kirklees magistrates: “They recovered a man bag from inside the vehicle which contained a brass coloured metal knuckle duster.

“He said it did belong to him, it was a present and he’d forgotten that it was in his bag.”

Rao was also found to be in possession of cocaine but was offered a community resolution for this.

Police didn’t offer him a caution for the offensive weapon because it was not appropriate and he pleaded guilty to possessing it in a public place, namely New Hey Road.

Jonathan Slawinski, mitigating, explained that his client first caught the attention of the officers because his vehicle was running on side lights.

He told magistrates: “When he spoke to them he did admit that he had something on him and they searched his bag.

“He’d forgotten it was in his bag but clearly he accepts that he shouldn’t have had it with him when he was out in public.

“It was a stupid mistake but he was not threatening with or brandishing this item.

“They found the drugs and that’s why he was nervous.”

Magistrates heard that Rao, of May Street in Crosland Moor, wants to make positive changes in his life due to the impending birth of his first child.

They sentenced him to a community order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation activity days.

Rao will have to pay £85 costs and £85 victim surcharge.

Magistrates also made an order for the forfeiture and destruction of the knuckle duster.