Homeless man jailed for carrying Stanley knife to protect himself

Tony Duane Bacon was arrested after he began waving the sharp blade around threatening to stab anyone who came near him, and himself, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Jade Edwards said that the police were called to homeless shelter Marsh Way House on Arundel Close in Wakefield at around 5.2pm on June 5.

On arrival, the 49-year-old told police that the knife was "long gone", but noticed it was sticking out of his pocket.

After being searched they also found spare blades inside his sock.

He said he had bought the knife from a pound shop to protect himself over the money he owed.

He admitted a charge of having a bladed article in public.

The court heard how Bacon had 43 convictions for 89 offences, including two previous convictions for carrying a bladed article from 2005 and 2015.

Under a three-strike rule, he would face a mandatory six-month jail sentence.

Mitigating, James Littlehales described Bacon as a "sad individual" who was "very vulnerable".

He added: "He has been homeless, begged on the streets and been live that sort of lifestyle.

"The purchase of the knife sadly relates to that - people on the streets do get attacked and that's the reason he had the knife."

Judge Robin Mairs jailed Bacon for six months.