A BARROW man has been sentenced for having a DIY knife while drunk outside a Tesco Express store.

Darren Brennan was arrested on September 9 last year on Rawlinson Street in Barrow.

Katie Marsden, prosecuting the case, said Brennan was seen by a member of the public to be ‘stumbling around on the pavement area’ with ‘glazed eyes and slurred speech’.

The court heard the 51-year-old then proceeded to lie down on the pavement.

Officers attended the scene and searched the defendant where they discovered a DIY locking system knife in the defendant’s jacket pocket, Ms Marsden said.

When questioned in police interview Brennan said he could not remember where he was, the court heard.

In mitigation, his barrister Jack Troup, said: “He has little memory of how he came in possession of the knife.

“He says he has not drunk since the incident and has no desire to do so in the future. He said he had an argument with his partner and relapsed.

“There is no brandishing or provocation to the member of the public or to the officer who came to arrest him.  

“He is a carer for his partner who has significant mental health difficulties. If he goes to custody, he will lose the private accommodation he currently has with his partner and she would be left homeless.

“I do not see any public interest in sending this man to custody.”

The court heard Brennan, of Smeaton Street in Barrow, had 48 convictions for 88 offences including a previous conviction for being in possession of an offensive weapon in 1999. His last conviction was for theft in 2018.

Sentencing the defendant to a 12-month community order, His Honour Judge Guy Mathieson said: “I know you have struggled with drink and drugs, and your offending history is limited to that.

“It is 25 years since you were found to be carrying a knife. The law tells me I must send people who carry a knife for the second time to prison, unless there are exceptional circumstances.

“However, I believe you have every prospect of being rehabilitated and I am sure your partner would have no idea what she would do if you went to prison.

“It seems to me on this occasion there are particular circumstances that would be unjust for me to impose an immediate prison sentence.

“Do not let me see you again.”

Judge Mathieson required Brennan to undertake 120 hours unpaid work and 20 RAR days as part of the community order.  

Forfeiture and destruction of the bladed article was also ordered.