Man jailed after being caught carrying blade at South Tyneside Metro station

Terry Freel called 999 and summoned police to Felgate Metro station in Jarrow, last December after confessing he was armed and saying his "head was all over".

When officers arrived at the station, at around 9pm on December 13 last year, he pulled a knife from his sleeve and handed it over.

The 36-year-old was on a community order at the time for an "identical" offence last summer.

Freel, of Beach Road, South Shields, who has 48 previous convictions, admitted possessing a bladed article in a public place.

At Newcastle Crown Court, Mr Recorder Shakil Najib sentenced him to six months behind bars.

The judge told him: "You were given a chance only a short period before committing this offence and you chose not to take it.

"The public must be protected from you and in my judgement appropriate punishment can only be achieved by way of immediate custody."