A RENTON man has been told by a sheriff that “all sentencing options – including prison” remain open, after he was found by police to be carrying a knife, which he claimed was for work.

Thomas Brown, 35, of Grant Crescent, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court this week, where he admitted being in possession of a knife in public. The offence happened in Riverside Lane, Dumbarton, on June 23, last year.

Prosecutor Kevin Doherty told the court: “Police came to attend a disturbance at Riverside Lane at 11.30pm. Thomas Brown was part of that disturbance and was arrested and subject to a search. They asked him if he had anything dangerous on him. He replied he hadn’t. When they searched him they found a blue Stanley knife in his pocket.

“He said ‘s**t that’s my work knife’. He claimed he didn’t know it was there.”

Defence lawyer Brian McGuire said: “He is in full-time employment, but does have a similar offence for carrying a knife about 20 years ago, when he was a boy.”

Sheriff William Gallacher said: “I will allow your bail to continue but that is not a declaration of my final view of the matter. It is high on my consideration to send you to prison. All options will be open to me. This is a very serious matter.”

Brown denied behaving in a threatening or abusive manner likely to cause a reasonable person to suffer fear and alarm. It was also claimed he was shouting and swearing and uttering threats of violence. His not guilty plea was accepted.

Sentence was deferred until March 21 for the sheriff to obtain a full range of background reports. Bail was continued.