Man caught with blade in Alexandria shopping precinct

Oct 3 2008

A MAN caught with a kitchen knife in a busy Alexandria shopping precinct claimed he had been using it to cut onions.

Thomas Cameron, 25, was yards from his house when he was stopped by police in Mitchell Way following a tip-off that a man might be in possession of a weapon.

Cameron told police he had the kitchen knife in his jacket pocket and was on his way home.

Last week he appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court and admitted having the weapon in the town centre at 4.40pm on May 17 this year.

Fiscal depute Henna Chaudry said Cameron told officers the knife was his and claimed he had been using it for chopping onions.

Roddy Boag, defending, said Cameron was receiving treatment for depression and his medication had been changed around the time of the offence, but added: “He doesn’t think the medication is what caused him to make an error of judgement, which he accepts he obviously made.

“He had been at his aunt’s house. The knife is his own and she wanted to borrow it.

“She had actually paid for a taxi home for him but, rather than taking the taxi, he decided he would walk and use the taxi fare to buy a bottle of wine.

“After going home and depositing the knife, his intention was to buy the wine and go and watch a game of football.”

Sheriff Simon Fraser jailed Cameron for 16 months.