A FATHER-of-two who hid a kitchen knife under his car mat and a Stanley knife in his drivers door has been ordered to complete more than 200 hours of unpaid work.
Steven Thorn, of Robins Corner, Evesham, was driving his Ford vehicle on Oat Street on May 13 when he was stopped by officers, who found the two weapons.
Last Friday (October 24) Worcester Magistrates Court heard the 33-year-old told police he had got the kitchen knife to cut a funnel in a plastic bottle so he could fill up his car with petrol, as it had run out of fuel previously.
Thorn, who was found guilty after a trial on October 9, also said the Stanley knife was in his drivers side door because he had forgot to put it with the rest of his work tools in the back of the car.
Defending solicitor Paul Stanley said: “He was convicted on the matters going to trial because he didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.
“His Stanley knife was in the front door, his tools were in the back, but he forgot it was there. He had used it shortly before but that was not seen as a justifiable reason for him having it there.
“They were not used to threaten anybody in any way or seen in a dangerous circumstance.”
Thorn, who was released from prison in September after a series of thefts, was given a 12-month community order for the offences and told he must do 250 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £200 in court costs.
Chair of the Bench Brent Robinson said: “It does occur in passing that if a member of the public was present and could have sight of your record and the fact of this case, they would be a little bit concerned that you were driving around with two knives
in your car, particularly as one of them was hidden under a mat.
“You would have thought someone of your past would have been a little bit more careful than that.” he added.
