Man had knuckle duster in street

A DRUG user caught in the street with a knuckle duster said he carried it for protection, a court heard.

Kieron Edwards was on bail for possessing cannabis and amphetamine after police raided his home in Tannin Crescent, Bulwell.

Edwards was upstairs when the police arrived.

The court heard he panicked when he realised officers were going to find his £500 stash of cannabis and threw it out of the window.

Police picked it up and also found a small amount of amphetamine, worth £12.90, inside the house.Edwards was arrested in February. He told police the cannabis was for personal use as a pain killer but had not been "terribly effective".

The 29-year-old was charged with possessing the drugs and bailed in May.

But he was stopped and searched by officers in Nottingham and they found the knuckle duster in his pocket.

Richard Posner told the court in mitigation: "He was carrying it as a result of three attacks on him and his family."

Police were aware of the incidents, he added, and surveillance had been installed at his girlfriend's property.

Edwards told police he had forgotten about the knuckle duster.

Edie Leonard, prosecuting, told the court: "He said he was given it by a friend and had told police he was carrying it for protection. He said he bought the cannabis and paid £150 for it. He threw the bag out of the window because he panicked."

Edwards pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis, amphetamine and the knuckle duster.

Judge Tony Mitchell imposed suspended prison sentences - six months on each drugs charge to run concurrently, and four months consecutively for having the knuckle duster.He ordered Edwards to do 180 hours of unpaid work in the next 12 months.

Judge Mitchell told him: "Possession of drugs will often lead to a prison sentence, particularly when it is accumulative, as it is in your case. Not only did you have cannabis, you had amphetamine."

Edwards had previously been in court for possessing a prohibited weapon. He received a 39-week sentence, suspended for 18 months. He had also appeared for possessing cannabis and amphetamine with intent to supply.