Thug locked up for having weapon
A yob caught in possession of a blade in a Paisley close told cops it was for fishing, a court heard.
Lewis Fleming, 21, had been involved in a dispute with neighbours when cops were called out to his flat at Orr Street in the town on June 16.
Paisley Sheriff Court heard Fleming claimed the only reason he had the lock-back knife in his tracksuit pocket was because he was a keen angler.
Fiscal depute Fiona Holligan said: “Officers were called out to reports of a disturbance at a common close between 10 to 12 Orr Street, Paisley, at 10.30am on the day in question.
“Officers duly attended and found the accused in the close and they had cause to search him and, from his right hand tracksuit trouser pocket, a lock-back knife was produced.
“When asked why he had it, he replied it was for fishing.
“When cautioned and charged the accused continued he was fishing and the knife was for fishing.”
Fleming pleaded guilty to charges of possession of the knife without reasonable excuse or lawful authority at 10-12 Orr Street, in Paisley, on June 16, and to committing the offence while on bail.
Defence agent Gordon Ritchie said: “The accused had been involved in an ongoing dispute with neighbours and he had been out in the close area sweeping the stairs.
“It appears that the noise he was making was reported to police.
“Police visited the close, searched him and found the item.
“This item was indeed a knife he used for fishing.
“He was not aware it is an offence to have the knife on him in the close.
“It is an area with public access and the accused was not aware of a recent change in the law.”
He urged the court to hand his client a community-based disposal taking into account the accused accepted responsibility, had pleaded guilty at an early opportunity, and has spent a considerable period of time in custody on remand.
However, Sheriff Colin Pettigrew, said there was only way of dealing with the accused given his criminal record.
He said: “You are a relatively young man with a relatively short record, however, it is a bad record.
“You have two convictions for assault, one of robbery and assault to severe injury with a knife.
“Considering the nature of your record, it would have been two years, but I will restrict that to 18 months to take account of the timing of your plea.”