Knuckleduster and knife cost Fort man £600

A man from Torlundy was fined £600 by a sheriff last week after admitting possession of a knuckleduster and a locking knife.

Procurator fiscal Alison Young told Fort William Sheriff Court that Valentins Surunvos, 37, who is originally from Latvia but has lived in the UK for three years, had been spoken to by police officers after they came across his car in the middle of the A830 road on May 4 this year, near Kilmallie Church, Corpach.

Surunvos's car had a flat tyre but after speaking with him the officers decided that, owing to his demeanour, they would carry out a breath test.

This gave a zero result, but a subsequent search of his person discovered that Surunvos had a four-knuckle knuckleduster attached to his belt and a locking knife, with a blade of more than three inches, in his trouser pocket.

Defence agent Hamish Melrose said his client had started a new job with Marine Harvest on October 1 and had been employed since coming to the UK.

‘He has never come to the attention of the police before,' Mr Melrose told the court.

‘I don't think he comprehended the seriousness of carrying these items in this country. But it is not as if he was walking down Fort William High Street with them.' Mr Melrose said the knuckleduster in question was more of the ‘cosmetic type' and more for show.

‘He says he never had any intention of using these weapons and my discussions with him have brought it home to him that these sort of charges can attract custodial sentences.'

Mr Melrose asked Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald to take into account that, apart from this incident, Surunvos had not been in trouble with the police during his time in the UK, had a steady job and fixed address.

Fining him £300 on each of the weapons charges, as well as ordering the knuckleduster and knife to be forfeited, Sheriff MacDonald told Surunvos: ‘I hope now you realise the culture in this country is very different, with the possession of weapons of any kind frowned upon to say the least.'