A TROWBRIDGE skip lorry driver who said he carried around a sheath knife because his grandfather gave it to him as a gift has appeared in court.

Andrew Randall, of Hawcroft, Holt, was caught with the sheath knife by police officers, who were tipped off by an anonymous caller.

Magistrates in Trowbridge heard how 23-year-old Randall, who admitted carrying an offensive weapon in public, was searched after police found him sitting in his car on the Spitfire Retail Park earlier this month.

Richard Thomas, prosecuting, said Randall was sat in a Toyota car with another man when police found him.

Conducting a search they found the sheath knife, which had a small fixed blade.

Telling police his grandfather gave it to him as a gift, Randall later admitted in police interview that his grandfather was dead.

Mr Thomas said: "He said he was clearing out a deceased relative's house and found it before deciding to keep it.

"He said he had no intention of using the knife and would have eventually discarded it."

John Elliott, defending, said Randall had only committed the offence of carrying the knife around not using it.

He said: "It was only a small knife with a short blade, only a few inches.

"His intention was just to have it on him and he was then planning to put it in a drawer at home. He was not intending to do anything aggressive with it."

Randall was fined £75 and ordered to pay costs of £55.

Magistrates also granted an order to destroy the weapon.