Man warned after knife find

District judge Mr Paul Copeland made the remark after being told how Ian David Stewart (20) from Newry Road, Poyntzpass, was caught in possession of a lock knife.

He was fined 200 and bound over to keep the peace for two years in the sum of 500.

The offence came to light on 31 October last at 12.20am when police searched Stewart's Peugeot 306 car at a filling station on the Dromore Road, Banbridge, and found a lock knife in the glove box..

During interview he admitted ownership of the knife but said it was a gift and had never been taken into the house.

A solicitor said the knife was a present his girlfriend had brought home from Spain and it had never been used, in fact it had been forgotten about.

"He should not have had it and therefore enters a plea of guilty," said the solicitor.

Mr Copeland said, "It is not clear to me what was behind this. You were out and about in this car with a variety of items which are highly questionable. You have an unhealthy interest in items capable of hurting others."

Mr Copeland referred to lock knives, baseball bats and arrows. He told Stewart, "You should think long and hard before you set out with anything like this in a vehicle."

Imposing the binding over order, Mr Copeland reminded Stewart he was prohibited from the possession of any article which is threatening or offensive and prohibited from engaging in any act of hostility.

A destruction order was granted for the knife.