Teenage ‘show-off ’ went out for night with 40cm machete

Ateenager went on a night out in two Perthshire towns armed with a machete. The 17-year-old hid the 40cm-long blade inside his trousers when he hung out with friends in Alyth town centre.

He kept the weapon concealed when he took a bus to Blairgowrie and tried to get into a pub.

The teenager appeared at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted having a bladed weapon in public on October 23 last year.

Sheriff William Wood told the accused: “Going out in a park and other public places with a big knife stuck in your waistband – that’s particularly stupid.

“I understand that there may have been an element of showing off, but if you were an adult the court would be considering jail time.”

Fiscal depute Joanne Ritchie told the court that the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, met two friends at 6pm.

“When they met up, he showed his friends he had a litre bottle of vodka,” she said.

“He also showed them he had a machete tucked into his trouser waistband. It was about 40cm in length.”

Ms Ritchie added that the youth and his friends sat on benches in the town square before visiting a takeaway.

“One of the workers was informed by a customer that the accused was in possession of a machete,” said Ms Ritchie.

“The worker looked and saw that the accused appeared to have an object concealed in his trouser leg.

“The same witness also observed the accused and his two friends getting on a bus to Blairgowrie. He contacted the police.”

The bus arrived in Blairgowrie later that evening.

“The accused still had the machete with him at this time,” Ms Ritchie told the court.

“The group made their way to a public house but they were denied entry by staff.

“They made their way back to the bus station but the accused went in a different direction.”

Police officers approached the two friends and searched them both for weapons.

Nothing was recovered but they told police about their friend, who was then traced at 10pm at the bus terminus.

“He was searched but he no longer had the weapon,” Ms Ritchie said.

He was arrested and taken to Perth police station, where he was cautioned and charged.

He volunteered to show officers where he had left the weapon – in a bush in Leslie Street.

Solicitor Mike Tavendale said: “It appears that he was simply showing off this item to his friends.

“There was never any intention on his part to use it.”

He added: “When his friends decided to jump on the bus to Blairgowrie, he didn’t have time to get back to his house and leave it there.

“He readily accepts the stupidity of this.”

Sentence was deferred to give the teenager – who is from Alyth – the chance to engage on the Right Track programme for young offenders.

His progress will be reviewed at the next court hearing in April.

The 17-year-old tried to get into a Blaigowrie pub with the knife hidden in his trousers.