A MAN had two knives stashed in his jacket sleeves while inside a west Cumbrian pub.

Carlisle Crown Court heard how 20-year-old Conor Brodie had been receiving threats from others before he committed the offence on March 28.

Prosecutor Gerard Rogerson said police received a call to attend the Whittington Cat pub, on Lowther Street, Whitehaven.

“The nature of the call was that there was a man, Mr Brodie, who was upstairs in the public house. He had turned up there and told staff to call police. He appeared to be frightened and shaking,” said Mr Rogerson.

One staff member described Brodie as “shaking like a leaf”. He told officers he was “in fear” of another man, who was downstairs in the same pub.

“Whilst the officers were speaking to Mr Brodie one of them noticed an object up the sleeve of the jacket he was wearing - a Stanley knife which he produced,” said Mr Rogerson.

“He then produced another one. He told police he had been carrying the knives for his own protection, having had a run-in with other individuals, and having received certain threats from those individuals.”

Brodie admitted two counts of having a bladed article in public. He was said to have pleaded guilty on a basis accepted by the prosecution.

The court heard he was a man of previous good character.

Judge Andrew Jefferies QC accepted Brodie had a genuine reason for being in fear, and had insisted upon police being called.

There was also a wealth of “considerable mitigation”, he noted, some of which was not aired in open court.

In the exceptional circumstances, Judge Jefferies suspended a six-month jail sentence for 18 months. Brodie must complete rehabilitation and an adult attendance centre requirement.

He heard the judge say: “Even unintentionally and with no pre-meditation, people who carry knives end up killing people or being killed by them - it’s as simple as that.”