Shirebrook man sentenced for keeping ‘forgotten’ flick-knife in his own home

Officers found the blade bundled up among other items on top of a wardrobe at Tyler Airlie's home, on Main Street, on April 20, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court was told.

Nicole Baughan, prosecuting, said police were carrying out a search warrant for a different issue, which was not charged.

Possession of an offensive weapon in a private place is a “relatively recent” offence, she said, and is treated less seriously than carrying one in public.

The court heard 30-year-old Airlie, who admitted the office, has 20 previous convictions for 30 offences, but nothing for weapons.

Mark Stocks, mitigating, said Airlie deserved maximum credit for his prompty guilty plea and that the knife belonged to his girlfriend, who died in April last year.

Mr Stocks said: “He has changed address since then a number of times and simply forgot he had it. It wasn't taken out of the house.”

He said Airlie was last before the courts in November 2022, when he was fined for breaching a restraining order.

“There has been a substantial decrease in the rate and seriousness of his offending,” Mr Stocks added.

The self-employed builder was fined £40 and ordered to pay a £16 surcharge, along with £85 costs.

It became a criminal offence in July 2021, and includes knuckledusters, swordsticks, telescopic truncheons and blowpipes.

But you are exempt if the weapon is over 100 years old, or it is owned for religious reasons.