Stab victim escapes jail for carrying knife
A STABBING victim who armed himself with a knife and told police: “It’s the way the world is” has avoided jail.
Ben Nyeste said he’d walked around with the blade, given to him by his grandfather, because he was fearful of dangerous people living in the same area.
The 21-year-old escaped prison but was warned by magistrates that he will be heading that way if he commits the same offence again.
Nyeste, of Riddings Road in Deighton, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to possession of a bladed article in public and possession of cannabis.
He was stopped by officers close to his home at 5.20pm on August 16. His eyes were glazed and he handed over the cannabis joint he was smoking.
Police also seized from him a small bag containing the class B drug and he volunteered to the officers that he had a lock knife in his trouser pocket.
Prosecutor Richard Blackburn told Kirklees magistrates: “He said he carried the knife because of people like that in the area.
“He said it was for his own protection because of the way the world is at the moment.
“He’s previously been stabbed so felt he needed it for self-protection.
“It was his grandfather’s knife he’d been given. He said he knew it was an offence to carry it in public.”
Following his arrest Nyeste admitted that the cannabis was for his own personal use.
He said it was given to him by a friend named Chantelle but wouldn’t provide further details.
Magistrates were told that Nyeste had no previous convictions.
At the previous hearing his solicitor Mohammed Arif said that he had some underlying issues that needed to be explored.
Magistrates ordered a probation report looking at all sentencing options, including custody.
Chairman of the bench Brian Hughes warned Nyeste that a second knife offence will not be tolerated by the court.
He told him: “This reflects the seriousness of carrying a knife.
“You’ve seen the news where it’s becoming intolerable.
“If you get caught carrying another blade there’s little if any doubt you’ll go to prison.”
Mr Hughes added that while there was some mitigation in his case – there is never enough mitigation to justify carrying a knife.
Nyeste was sentenced to a 12 month community order with 36 hours at a senior attendance centre and 20 rehabilitation activity days, all aimed at making sure he does not reoffend.
The knife and cannabis seized will be forfeited and destroyed.
He was told to pay £85 court costs and £85 victim surcharge.