An army veteran caught with an imitation rifle, hand axe and lock knife in Brandon town centre while dressed in camouflage must wait to learn his fate from a crown court judge.
Carl Robinson, 38, of Riverside Way, Brandon, previously pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation rifle, a lock knife and a hand axe in Brandon town centre, and appeared at Suffolk Magistrates’ Court on Friday for his sentencing hearing.
The court heard that Robinson, who was dressed in camouflage clothing, was stopped by police on September 8, 2019 near Brandon railway station.
The imitation rifle – a .22 BB gun – was attached to his large rucksack under a cloth and a further search of the bag revealed the knife and hand axe.
MORE: Camouflaged man caught with weapons in town centreThe court heard that Robinson had been in Brandon Wood doing bushcraft with two friends and was on his way home.
Robinson, who served a tour of Afghanistan with the army from 2000 to 2003, has a previous conviction for possessing a bladed article in 2014.
The ‘two strikes’ measure creates a mandatory six-month minimum sentence for a second conviction of possession of a bladed article.
Magistrates chose to send the sentencing to the crown court and released him on unconditional bail ahead of that hearing, which is on a date to be fixed.
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