Man fined for having a knife

A Spanish citizen is likely to have his hopes of working in airline cabin crew dashed after he was found with a kitchen knife in Lerwick.

Oscar Sandin, 21, who lives in a flat in Edinburgh’s Lothian Road, admitted having the knife in the town’s Commercial Street on Tuesday morning.

He was fined £150 when he appeared in the dock before Sheriff Ian Cruickshank.

But defence agent Tommy Allan said Sandin only had the knife because he was due to work as a commis chef at a hotel in the capital.

The agent said Sandin had bought the knife to help with his work in the kitchen, and had then gone on holiday to the isles with his friend – unaware of how the law stood on possession of knives.

“There’s no suggestion the knife was presented or used in an inappropriate way,” Mr Allan told the court.

Mr Allan said Sandin had spent 26 hours in custody after the incident.

He added a conviction would have a serious impact on Sandin’s hopes of working as a cabin crew representative on airlines.

Mr Allan said Sandin had done a course which would allow him to gain employment in that field at a cost of 4,000€.

“He won’t be able to be employed if this conviction is recorded.”

Sheriff Cruickshank said he accepted Sandin had no intention of doing anything unlawful.

“In the circumstances, however, I have to impose a financial penalty,” he said.

He also granted a Crown motion for forfeiture of the knife.