Man dropped knife in garden

Jun 26 2008 by Alastair McNeill, Hamilton Advertiser

A MAN dropped a knife with a three-inch blade in a Larkhall garden while being followed by police.

At Hamilton Sheriff Court on Monday, Robert Pollock (37) of 14 Glen Avenue, Strutherhill, admitted possessing the weapon at a house in Glen Avenue on June 24, 2007.

However, his not guilty plea to committing a breach of the peace there was accepted by the fiscal depute.

Fiscal depute Fiona Kirby told the court that the offence took place in a residential area, and young children and adults were nearby.

Shortly before 9pm police witnesses saw the accused walking on a footpath in Glen Avenue. The officers’ vehicle approached the accused from behind.

Pollock, Ms Kirby said, turned round and on seeing the vehicle walked faster.

He then turned into a garden where he was seen by police witnesses putting his hand into his jacket pocket and removing a brown-handled item.

He dropped it in the garden, and when officers asked him what he had dropped, Pollock replied ‘nothing.’

The officers, however, found the item to be a brown-handled lock knife with a cutting edge measuring three inches.

Pollock’s agent Elspeth Forrest told Sheriff Vincent Smith the accused had been on his way to his sister’s house in Glen Avenue and was going to use the knife there.

She recognised that Sheriff Smith would be concerned about the offence, given Pollock’s previous convictions.

Ms Forrest pointed out, however, that the offence had been carried out in the early days of a Drug Treatment and Testing Order and Pollock was making “excellent progress.”

She recognised that Sheriff Smith could impose a custodial sentence, but asked him to defer sentence for background reports and a DTTO review.

Sheriff Smith deferred sentence until July 17 and continued bail, but told Pollock: “Those who are convicted of carrying weapons must expect a significant custodial sentence.

“I would advise you to have your affairs in order before you come back before me.”