Sheriff rejects claim that Wick man caught with knife in street planned to use it to cut up gammon steak

A Wick man tried to explain in court why he was carrying a knife in a local street.

James McPhee (32) told Sheriff Neil Wilson he was on his way to his girlfriend’s house for Sunday dinner and the five-inch blade was to be used to slice a gammon steak.

However, Sheriff Neil Wilson rejected McPhee’s special reason defence and found him guilty.

McPhee had pleaded not guilty to having the knife in Glamis Road, Wick on January 21.

Police officers who stopped McPhee discovered the wooden-handled kitchen knife in one of two bags the accused was carrying.

Giving evidence, McPhee agreed that “sharing his cutlery” with someone else might seem “unusual” but said he was on his way from his home in Bank Row, Wick, to his girlfriend’s house to move in with her. He had taken some things with him including the knife.

Finding McPhee guilty at the end of the trial, Sheriff Wilson said he did not accept the accused’s explanation for having the knife and fined him £600.

The knife was forfeited.