Nwicker60
17-Apr-15, 17:52
Forensic test confirmed weapon belonged to accused Wick court is told
A MAN, observed by police acting suspiciously, turned out to be trying to dispose of a knuckleduster.
The owner of the weapon, David Stubbings, was remanded in custody, pending preparation of a background report after Sheriff Andrew Berry told him: "Carrying offensive weapons in this part of the world is happily uncommon and must be treated seriously by the courts."
Stubbings, 45, admitted being in possession of the knuckleduster in an alley at the rear of Battery Road, Wick, around midnight on September 19, last year, and a record.
He had been out walking and began acting in a furtive manner after spotting the police and appeared to be disposing something which turned out to be the knuckleduster, on the ground.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that initally, Stubbings denied dropping anything but it was raining and the item had not had a chance to get wet. His DNA was subsequently found on it.
Sheriff Andrew Berry said that Stubbings could have owned up, having been caught "red-handed" and there would have been no need for DNA evidence.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that if the accused had been caught with the knuckleduster in his hand, her initial advice to him would have been to plead guilty. But the weapon was found on the ground.
Sheriff Berry: "Stubbings would have known how it got there and could have said 'it is mine'.".
The accused who lives at 53 Murchison Street, Wick, will be sentenced on April 30th after the sheriff considers a background report.
A MAN, observed by police acting suspiciously, turned out to be trying to dispose of a knuckleduster.
The owner of the weapon, David Stubbings, was remanded in custody, pending preparation of a background report after Sheriff Andrew Berry told him: "Carrying offensive weapons in this part of the world is happily uncommon and must be treated seriously by the courts."
Stubbings, 45, admitted being in possession of the knuckleduster in an alley at the rear of Battery Road, Wick, around midnight on September 19, last year, and a record.
He had been out walking and began acting in a furtive manner after spotting the police and appeared to be disposing something which turned out to be the knuckleduster, on the ground.
David Barclay, prosecuting, said that initally, Stubbings denied dropping anything but it was raining and the item had not had a chance to get wet. His DNA was subsequently found on it.
Sheriff Andrew Berry said that Stubbings could have owned up, having been caught "red-handed" and there would have been no need for DNA evidence.
Solicitor Fiona MacDonald said that if the accused had been caught with the knuckleduster in his hand, her initial advice to him would have been to plead guilty. But the weapon was found on the ground.
Sheriff Berry: "Stubbings would have known how it got there and could have said 'it is mine'.".
The accused who lives at 53 Murchison Street, Wick, will be sentenced on April 30th after the sheriff considers a background report.