South Shields man caught with weapon in public after late night drinking session

A South Tyneside man was caught with a cosh after returning home from a drinking session and heading back out into the night, a court heard.

Shaun Lindsey, 30, went to his abode in Collingwood Street, near Chichester, South Shields, and picked up a bag containing the illegal extendable baton. But police had been tipped off and stopped him in his tracks half a mile away in Fowler Street, central South Shields, at 2.30am on Sunday, May 11.

They pulled the weapon from the bag and arrested Lindsey, prosecutor John Garside told magistrates in South Tyneside. No reason for his out-of-character action was revealed, nor the location of where he was walking or how police knew of his moves.

Mr Garside added: “Police were on mobile patrol and were in Fowler Street, due to a suggestion that the defendant was in possession of a metal cosh. A search took place and inside his bag there was found a metal cosh. He was arrested and made full and frank admissions to the police.

“He comes before the court without any previous convictions or cautions.”

Lindsey pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place. Syed Ahmed, defending, told magistrates: “It’s a guilty plea at the first opportunity. I ask you to give the defendant credit for that.

“The reality is that he’s been intoxicated during the course of the night. He’s returned home and found the bag and picked it up and made his way to another’s. He was stopped on the way by the police. He made full and frank admissions. He has no previous convictions.

“It’s unfortunate that because of the guilty plea he’s lost his good character. This gentleman has not been before a court before and he is remorseful about his actions. He has picked up the bag at the wrong time and at the wrong place.

“Given the background, I’d invite you to deal with this by way of a financial penalty.”

Magistrates sentenced Lindsey to a 12-month conditional discharge, with £85 court costs and a £26 victim surcharge. Clinton Leeks, chair of the bench, told him: “This appears to us to have been an unfortunate incident. No cosh, no baton. A really bad idea.”