'Heavily intoxicated' Sunderland woman caught with knife

Jobless Melissa Eastick, 34, was found with the blade in Queen Alexandra Road, Grangetown, at 10.30pm on Tuesday, May 4, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Sarah Malkinson said Eastick, of Stockton Terrace, Sunderland city centre, was “heavily intoxicated”.

Ms Malkinson added: “She was with her partner who told police that she was in possession of a knife. They found the blade.”

The court heard Eastick, who swore during the incident but was not threatening, had three previous convictions but nothing similar.

Jason Smith, defending, said “Ms Eastick has marked mental health issues" and was not going to harm other people.

Eastick pleaded guilty to possessing a blade or sharp pointed article in a public place, a crime that carries a six-month starting point jail term.

The court was told she committed the offence while subject to an 18-month community order, imposed in May for common assault after she admitted attacking her partner at his home in Ryhope, Sunderland.

Deputy District Judge Gary Garland revoked the community order and handed Eastick an eight-week jail term, suspended 12 months, while also ordering her to complete 30 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service and pay a £128 victim surcharge

Judge Garland said: “If I didn’t think you had problems and didn’t think you could benefit from help, I’d have sent you to prison.

“The law has just had enough of people carrying around things like that.”

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