A MAN who carried a knife in public was told his offence was serious because young people are regularly dying of knife crime.
Connor Whitehouse admitted having a 20cm kitchen knife in public when he appeared at Worcester Magistrates Court.
Mark Hambling, prosecuting, said police were called to the defendant's home, in Ploughmans Close, Brickfields, Worcester, just after midnight on March 10 this year over concerns for his mental health, but left as it was dealt with by a Crisis Resolution Team.
But, the prosecutor said, police were called back again - at 2am - finding the 24-year-old had left the home with the knife, officers later finding him in nearby Kingston Avenue, Worcester.
“When approached by police they ask to search him, that is when he produces the knife," the prosecutor said.
"He didn't conceal it."
Police were called after a 'disagreement' between Connor Whitehouse and his family
Garry Harper, defending, said there had been a disagreement between Whitehouse and his stepfather and mother but the pair, who attended court with Whitehouse, had “never felt under any threat”.
Mr Harper said the incident appeared to have calmed after the police’s first visit as a Crisis team arranged to meet Whitehouse at 10am that morning.
But he said police were then called back and found Whitehouse left the home with the knife.
“He doesn’t know why he did that, he had no intention of hurting himself or anyone else," Mr Harper said.
“It was a misunderstanding.
“I have explained the seriousness to him.”
Magistrates jailed Whitehouse for 14 weeks, suspended for a year, but warned him he could be sent to prison if he was convicted of another offence.
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Dean Johnson, chairman of the magistrates bench, told Whitehouse he would have seen news reports of knife crime, saying this was why courts took the issue so seriously.
My Johnson added: “It is a very sorry state of affairs we find ourselves in at the moment.”
Whitehouse was told to pay costs of £185 and a victim surcharge of £128. The defendant was told to pay the total, £313, in full within 28 days.
The case was heard on Thursday, (June 9).
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