Man who ‘forgot’ he was carrying knife when searched by police avoids jail

A 26-year-old Derby man claimed he had “forgotten” he had a kitchen knife in his jogging bottoms when police searched him.

Derby Crown Court heard how Ajai Lawrence had been taken to St Mary’s Wharf police station following an unrelated matter in Alvaston.

Once at the station, officers discovered the weapon on the defendant, who has 11 previous convictions for 19 offences.

Lucky Thandi, prosecuting, said the offence happened on March 20, last year. She said: “Matters arose from police being called to Bembridge Drive on an unrelated incident. Officers attended and found a car parked on the pavement with its driver’s door open and the engine running. They went into a store and found the defendant there.

“He was asked to do a breath test, but refused and so was taken to St Mary’s Wharf custody suite.

“There he was subjected to a search and the kitchen knife was found in the bottom of his joggers.

“In his interview he said he had forgotten the knife was there.”

Unemployed Lawrence, of Britland Edge Avenue, Oakwood, admitted the offence over a remote link last month after contracting Covid.

Judge Jonathan Bennett handed him an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for a year, and ordered him to carry out 150 hours unpaid work.

In October 2020, the same defendant was caught with cocaine and ecstasy outside a city centre nightclub. On that occasion a different judge told him he “didn’t believe for one second” he had the drugs just for his own use.

That hearing was told almost two years before the defendant was handed a suspended sentence for selling cannabis and having a stun gun at his home.