A 17-year-old who admitted carrying two knives while out drinking in Worcester city centre has been given a nine-month supervision order.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was searched in Foregate Street by police acting on a tip off from staff at the White House Hotel at 8.35pm on Monday, March 10.

The hotel's staff saw a group of people, including a man who they dropped a knife while leaving the premises.

Officers on patrol then spotted a woman and two young men - one matching the description of the person who dropped the knife - and stopped them.

The 17-year-old told police he was carrying a pair of knives which he had found the previous day near a children's merry-go-round in a park in Barbourne.

Peter Parson, prosecuting, said: "He made some comments to the officers saying he had been having some problems and carried a knife to protect himself."

The "fighting knives", one with a six-inch (15.2 cm) blade, were "for stabbing people" and not "fishing", according to Mr Parson.

Barry Newton, defending, said although his client had previous convictions he had not been in court for 18 months and had shown "considerable talents" for music, attending a weekly youth workshop.

The youth, who told Worcester magistrates he had been drinking the night he was caught with the knives, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed object at an earlier hearing on Tuesday, March 11.

Magistrates handed the youth a nine-month supervision and asked for £25 court costs yesterday.

An application by your Worcester News to lift reporting restrictions and identify the youth was turned down by magistrates.

12:36pm Thursday 8th May 2008

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