A HOLIDAYMAKER who carried five flick-knives bought as novelty gifts onto two planes, has been fined £600.

Peter Michael Enguita, 46, had bought the knives disguised as cigarette lighters, in Bangkok earlier this month.

He boarded planes in Thailand and Amsterdam but was only stopped by police officers at Durham Tees Valley Airport.

Enguita, of The Ladle, Middlesbrough, today pleaded guilty to two charges of carrying flick-knives on a plane in the United Kingdom at Darlington Magistrates Court.

They included one knife in his hand luggage and four more knives in the cabin part of the plane.

When he was stopped by officers he told them: "It is just a lighter."

Graham Brown, representing Enguita, said: "It was a nave act on his part because there was no suggestion that my client would cause injury to any party."

Magistrates fined him a total of £600 and ordered the knives to be destroyed.

Chairman of the bench Maria Waller said: "We think this was stupid and naive rather than criminal.

"Nevertheless it is a very serious offence to carry something like this in the cabin or an aircraft."