Darlington man jailed after stopped with blade in street

Peter Ludgate's appearance before Judge Brian Forster, QC, was his 55th time in court for a catalogue of crimes.

Teesside Crown Court heard he was arrested on January 9 after a disturbance in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.

When police asked if they could search him, he handed them an 8ins kitchen knife and said: "You might as well have this."

After being questioned, Ludgate was given bail, appeared before magistrates and pleaded guilty to possessing a bladed article.

Before he could be sentenced, however, he was stopped in Darlington town centre on April 5 and again had a knife.

Prosecutor Jenny Haigh told the court that police were suspicious when they saw the 34-year-old at the rear of Halfords.

Despite it being a hot day, Ludgate was wearing multiple layers of clothes and had a hood over his head, said Ms Haigh.

He was searched and police recovered another kitchen knife in a home-made sheath, made from the handle of a pan.

James Fenny, mitigating, said Ludgate carried knives to help strip metal from scrap and wires to sell to feed his drug addiction.

He said his client had not waved the blades about on either occasion, and neither had he threatened anybody.

The court heard that Ludgate has convictions for, among other things, affray, public disorder and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

In 2003, he threatened to damage someone's car with an axe, and told the victim: "I'm going to bury this in your skull."

Judge Forster told Ludgate: "I accept that there were no dangerous circumstances surrounding the offences, but you were well aware at the time of the view the courts take of such offending.

"The public are very concerned by the carrying of knives, and rightly so. Those who carry knives and get drunk - those who have your background - present a potential danger to members of the community."

Ludgate, of Tom Raine Court, Darlington, admitted two charges of possessing a bladed article in public.