Jail for pulling out knives at railway station

A 35-year-old man who caused“alarm and distress”to passengers when he produced two knives at Perth Railway Station has been jailed for 10 months.

Mark Smith had been remanded in custody at Perth Sheriff Court last month while a background report was prepared.

Lawyer Billy Somerville pointed out the blades had only been seen for“a very short time”and a community payback order could be imposed as a direct alternative to time behind bars.

But Sheriff Gillian Wade noted that Smith had a previous conviction which included possession of a knife.

She told him:“I don’t consider a community payback order is appropriate given the severity of the offence.”

Smith, of Goldhay, Peterborough, admitted having the knives in his possession at the station on September 13, 2017.

The court was told that a member of the public contacted station staff after seeing the accused with one of the blades.

He had been on a train which terminated in the city - and he was on Platform 7.

Police traced him there and he produced a throwing knife from his jeans pocket.

A second blade was also found in one of his bags.

The accused explained that the knives were a “gift”for his son and he had put them away after looking at them for a short period.

The prison term was backdated to September 4.