A man who tried to smuggle a 20 inch sword through Stansted Airport by disguising it as a walking stick has been sentenced.

East Anglian Daily Times: The sword was hidden in a walking stick.The sword was hidden in a walking stick. (Image: Archant)

Abdirisag Mahamduguray, 49, of Argyll Avenue, Southall, Middlesex attempted to take the blade through the search area of the Essex airport on March 15.

The discovery was made during a routine scan of the walking stick as Mahamduguray attempted to leave Stansted on a flight to Europe.

He was arrested and later charged with possessing a dangerous article in an aerodome, and pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on March 16.

Mahamduguray was sentenced to 28 days imprisonment suspended for six months, and an order was made for the sword to be destroyed.

Inspector Andrew Simpson, stationed at Stansted Airport, said: “The safety of passengers travelling through the airport is the priority of my team. We take security breaches such as this extremely seriously and will continue to do so.”