NOT thinking straight after giving up a crack cocaine and heroin habit after becoming homeless, a man walked from Melksham to Trowbridge with a seven inch meat cleaver down the front of his trousers, a court has heard.

Sam Kane, formerly of Kingsbury Square, Melksham but now of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to possessing a blade in public when he came before the bench at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.

He further admitted missing his day in court at Chippenham on August 25 to answer the charge.

Now magistrates have told him that they feel the knife offence was so serious that only a custodial sentence would suffice.

Crown prosecutor Keith Ballinger told the bench that police had been called to the Sir Isaac Pitman on Market Street in Trowbridge on August 5 to reports of a man with a knife.

“The manager of the pub had been told by a member of the public at the bar that the defendant was possibly in possession of a blade,” said Mr Ballinger.

“The defendant went outside and sat on a bench. The manager took him to one side and asked him if he was carrying a knife and the defendant admitted he was. He was told he wouldn’t be allowed back into the pub with a blade.”

When the police arrived he produced a cleaver knife with a blade six to seven inches long from the front of his trousers.

The court heard from probation service offender manager Nick Lincoln told the court that Kane was withdrawing from drug use and was not thinking straight, which had prompted him to take the knife with him when he left Melksham for Trowbridge.

“He had no intention to use it to intimidate others or harm himself," he said.

Sentencing him, Paul New told Kane that he would pay a fine of £50 for missing his day in court, but as he had spent the night in custody this would be deemed as paid.

But he added that they felt a custodial sentence was the only option for the possession of the knife in public. He imposed an eight-week sentence, which he suspended for 12 months.

He must also pay a £115 victim surcharge.