Police search of South Tyneside man's home uncovers cocaine, knife and Samurai sword
Offender pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a bladed article in public, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, and possession of a controlled class A drug.
A South Tyneside man was found with a knife, sword and drugs in the wake of police executing a search warrant, a court heard.
Islam Shamsul, 24, was not at his home in Wallington Grove, on the Woodbine estate in South Shields, when officers came calling on Monday, July 20.
But they found evidence he had had a lock-up unit nearby and searched that as well, prosecutor James Gallagher said.
They found a sheathed Samurai sword and while there, Shamsul arrived and a search revealed he had a folding pocket knife on him.
And when they checked over his car, they found two snap bags of a white powder which forensic tests proved was cocaine.
Mr Gallagher told borough magistrates: “A warrant was executed at the defendant’s home address.
“The defendant wasn’t present at the time but during a search, related documents relating to a storage unit in his name were found.
“They attended and sometime later he has attended on his own volition. He was arrested and found on his person was a folding lock knife.
“Police also searched the unit and found a Samurai sword. It looks like the sword was in a sheath and was not an open blade.
“A search of his vehicle showed he was in possession of two bags of a white powder, which were tested and found to be cocaine.
“He has no previous convictions. The crown applies for the seizure of the weapons and the drugs.”
Shamsul pleaded guilty to charges of possession of a bladed article in public, possession of an offensive weapon in a private place, and possession of a controlled class A drug.
Syed Ahmed, defending, said: “Guilty pleas have been tendered at the earliest opportunity.
“I don’t intend to go into mitigation at this stage. This will require a pre-sentence Probation report.
“He’s a man of good character before today. We should adjourn to find out more about this defendant
“The Probation Service is not able to do a report today and so this needs to be adjourned.”
Magistrates adjourned the case for reports and Shamsul will be sentenced at the same court on Thursday, November 12.