A man who absent-mindedly left a knife in his work trousers has been fined £500.

Adrian Robin Kneen, of Bromet Road, Castletown, admitted carrying a lock knife with a blade in excess of three inches when he was searched by police on November 30.

Police were attending a road traffic accident at 8.25pm at Main Road in Baldrine when they came across Kneen.

Kneen, aged 36, was searched but immediately told police that he had the knife in his work trousers. He said he used it for cutting cables and rope but didn’t normally carry it with him.

He admitted a charge of having a knife in a public place. Advocate Jim Travers entered a basis of plea on behalf of his client saying that Kneen had absent-mindedly left the knife in his work trousers and that he had declared it to police before he had been searched.

Kneen said he was in a remote location, that it was only ever used for work and had never been shown or brandished in public. Mr Travers said: ’He accepted the offence from the outset. The basis of plea is very important.

’He is apologetic. He had been working that day and rather than leave the knife at work it had been left in his work trousers.

’It was in a remote location. It was not a case of being found in a busy area.’

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ordered Kneen to pay £125 prosecution costs.