Man given suspended prison term over knife found in King’s Lynn police stop

A West Norfolk man has been given a suspended sentence after a knife fell from his pocket as police were speaking to him.

Aaron Stewart had been pulled over in London Road, Lynn, after being spotted driving in an “erratic manner”.

As the 21-year-old completed a drug wipe which proved positive for cocaine and cannabis, the steak knife fell to the floor.

Stewart was arrested and later gave a reading of 53 micrograms of a cocaine breakdown product per litre of blood in his system. The legal limit is 50.

Collette Harper, prosecuting, said: “In interview, he said he could not account for why he had a knife on him at that time but knew it was an offence.”

Stewart, of High Houses, Heacham, pleaded guilty to drug-driving and possession of a knife in a public place, both on March 12, 2021.

Ruth Johnson, mitigating, said he had been using the knife to cut up items during a trial work placement with a skip hire company because he hadn’t been provided with any equipment.

“He left that knife in his pocket and it has fallen out when he was spoken to by the officers,” Miss Johnson added.

She said Stewart’s cannabis use has been cut from £200 per week at the start of the first lockdown to “one joint a fortnight” now.

The defendant was given 12 weeks’ custody, suspended for one year.

He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge.

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