Reformed burglar caught with weapon in 'ridiculous mistake' at Sunderland Royal Hospital

John Wallis, 47, also produced a knife without dispute at Sunderland Royal Hospital when stopped by police on suspicion of drink-driving.

Wallis, of Cornelia Close, Silksworth, Sunderland, told them he had accidentally left the blade in his work coat on Sunday, April 5 – an excuse accepted by a court.

But he admitted he possessed the knuckle duster as protection when walking near his then home in the capital, where he had been working.

District Judge Kathryn Meek told him he had made a “ridiculous mistake” carrying the items, others of which she said were being increasingly used to kill or seriously injure.

She spared Wallis jail but handed him a 26-week sentence, suspended for 12 months, and hit him with fines and court costs of over £800.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard Wallis had once been part of a gang of burglars which travelled the country carrying out crimes.

But the dad-of-three had turned his life around after serving a lengthy prison term and was now a hard-working shopfitting supervisor.

Prosecutor Grace Taylor said: “Officers were called to Sunderland Royal Hospital after reports about the defendant.

“He was arrested for an unrelated offence but was searched and a knuckle duster found and a lock knife.

“He has attended the hospital with these items. I believe he was searched in the car park.

“He was approached by the officers in his car, but he was still in the hospital’s grounds.

“He has an offence of an offensive weapon from 1995, so it’s a second strike and a mandatory six-month sentence does apply.”

The court heard Wallis had 42 previous convictions from 116 offences, his last a drunk and disorderly charge in 2015.

He was breathalysed but was under the drink-drive limit, giving a reading of 13mcgs in 100mls of breath. The legal limit is 35mcgs.

Wallis, who defended himself, admitted he had an “atrocious” criminal record, including burglaries nationwide.

He added: “My partner was taken to hospital and it was the beginning of Covid and I wasn’t allowed in the ambulance, so followed in the car.

“She was spewing blood and I phoned for an ambulance. She was saying that she wanted me in the ambulance.

“I’ve pulled on my work coat and the knife was inside, my work is in asbestos, and I drove down.

“I’d had the knife at work the day before, I’d travelled up from London, it was in my work coat.

“I was working in London at the time. The knuckle duster, yes.”

Judge Meek told him: “It’s going on around the country, where people are basically carrying these weapons to cause life-threatening injuries or to bring about death.”

Wallis, who pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon and possession of a bladed article, was fined £600 with a £128 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

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