Cyclist who had knife in Ballymena claimed it was to carry out repairs to his bicycle
A Ballymena man who admits possessing an offensive weapon - a knife - in the town's Granville Drive claimed he had it carry out repairs on a bicycle he was on.
Cameron Rainey (26), with an address listed as Lewis Park, had a kitchen knife blade in his pocket which was wrapped in tin foil to form a makeshift handle.
The PSNI had been seeking the defendant for almost a year but when he was riding a bicycle on Friday September 12 this year he spotted police and began to make off but was caught.
He has admitted other charges. Last autumn he was in possession of drugs. He had also stolen over £500 worth of alcohol on a number of occasions in July and August this year from Tesco and Lidl.
A PSNI officer said the defendant had been "avoiding police for almost a year" even though he was "well aware police were trying to get in contact with him".
A defence solicitor said the defendant had been riding a bicycle and the knife was "to carry out a repair to the bicycle" and he did not have it for any "sinister" motive.
He said that the defendant's life had been in "freefall". The defendant had 24 previous convictions.
He appeared via video link from prison at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday (September 18) and was given a four months prison sentence.