Man caught with knife is spared jail

Mar 8 2013

by Court reporter, Blairgowrie Advertiser

A east Blairgowrie farm worker, caught with a knife with a five-inch blade in a local hotel, has dodged jail. Instead, 58-year-old John Donachy, of Springbank Road, Alyth, was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work within the next six months after he appeared at Perth Sheriff Court on Wednesday last week. Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said: “In this day and age, there is definitely a prohibition against knives being carried in public, no matter how it comes about. “The consequences of such actions are all too plain. Undoubtedly, an exacerbating factor here is that alcohol was consumed and, accordingly, there is always a possibility of loss of control.” Donachy admitted having the blade in the Victoria Hotel, Mill Street, Blairgowrie, on September 21 last year. Story continues ADVERTISEMENT Depute fiscal Charmaine Cole said the knife had been used by the accused in the course of his employment. She told the court: “Usually, when he finishes work, he goes over to the central office, hands the knife in and collects his wages. “On September 21, however, there was a change to this normal practice and the wages were brought over to the workers. “The accused then didn’t go back to the office to hand his knife in but, instead, went straight to the pub where the offence was committed.” Donachy was seen to remove the blade from his jacket pocket. The police had been called to another incident where another man, who worked with the accused, had been showing off his knife to patrons in the hotel. “Police attended to deal with that and it was mentioned Mr Donachy had a knife,” added the fiscal. A solicitor for the accused said he worked at a local farm and had been cutting raspberry canes that day. He had been out drinking with a colleague and accepted he had taken too much alcohol. He recalled speaking to another customer, pulling the knife out, wondering what it was – and then returning it immediately to his pocket.

Top | Back | E-mail to a friend | Printable version

 

Copyright and Trade Mark Notice

© 2013 owned by or licensed to Scottish & Universal Newspapers Limited. icPerthshire™ is a trade mark of Scottish & Universal Newspapers Limited. Please read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement before using this site.

 

Advertisements

Local Mole - Local Directory