Sunderland man jailed for unlawfully carrying pocket knife in city centre

A court heard Mehdi Azizi attempted to conceal the folding weapon from police when quizzed by officers.

Azizi, 37, of Villette Road, Hendon, Sunderland, is now beginning 26 weeks in prison after he was convicted of unlawful possession of a bladed article following a trial.

South Tyneside Magistrates Court heard the offence took place in Holmeside, in the centre of the city, on August 16.

Azizi was jailed after the court deemed the incident to be serious owing to his previous convictions and because he “has had previous intervention from the probation service to no avail”.

He was also ordered to pay a £128 victim surcharge at a rate of £20 per month from the beginning of April next year.

The pocket knife will be confiscated under the Prevention of Crime Act and destroyed.

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