A WAREHOUSE stock agent has been ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid work after he admitted to carrying a knife in Salisbury.

Salisbury magistrates' court heard on Friday that Ellis Machin, aged 21, of St Clements Way, was found to have a knife tucked into his trousers as he walked to the BP Garage near his home at about 4am on October 28.

Machin, who pleaded guilty to the offence, was stopped following reports of unrelated anti-social behaviour in the area but told police about the knife before they searched him.

Paul Jones, duty solicitor, said: “He had no intention of using the knife and only had it because he had been assaulted previously. Mr Machin was not aware of the laws around knives and since his arrest he has gone online and looked at the law and he has said he will never carry a knife again.”

Sentencing him to a 12 month community order, magistrate Martin Clarke said: “You will no doubt be aware that knife crime is a very important topic at the moment and every time you switch on the TV at the moment there is something about knife crime.

“There is no excuse to carry a knife for personal protection or to feel safe because you would be tempted to use it.”