Man said knife was for rabbit hunting

A Sunderland man who claimed to have been rabbit hunting when caught with a blade by police has avoided jail – despite it being his second knife-carrying crime.

Magistrates in South Tyneside told Allan Walton, 22, of Neville Road, Pallion, his offence had crossed the custodial threshold and sentenced him to 26 weeks behind bars, but they suspended that for 18 months.

The court heard jobless Walton had also been found with a blade in October 2014, meaning he faced a minimum of six months behind bars due to the limited time between offences.

But after considering the case, they decided they did not want to jail Walton for the latest offence, on Valentine’s Day last year, although they did warn him that if he commits any further offences in the next 18 months that he will go straight into custody.

Brian Parkinson, chairman of the bench, told him: “Be warned, if you commit any offence within the next 18 months, the first thing the bench has to do is activate that sentence.”

Walton appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court to be sentenced after he pleaded not guilty to knife possession at trial in January. However, he was found guilty and also admitted possession of cannabis.

The court heard Walton was stopped by police at 9pm on Thursday, February 14, last year, on an unrelated matter.

They found the knife, which he told them he had to snare rabbits. When they searched his car, they found cannabis.

For the knife offence, Walton must undertake 25 rehabilitation days with the Probation Service and 150 hours of unpaid work.