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A scaffolder who took a knuckle-duster to an anti-immigration protest in Southampton has been handed a 12-month prison sentence.

Southampton Crown Court heard that 42-year-old Lee James had been out for dinner with his two teenage sons on 7 August when he decided to go to the protest to “see what it was like”.

The court heard he had read online about “gangs and violence” at protests and had visions of people with machetes and zombie knives at the demonstration.

But Judge Christopher Parker KC said when he sentenced James that the knuckle-duster’s “only purpose can be to cause injury to other human beings”, adding: “You said you wore it to protect yourself but you wore it openly, you were not under any threat.”

James will serve half of the 12-month sentence before being released on licence, and a further 12 months post-sentence supervision.

BBC News

Back to Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, where Paul Daintith has pleaded guilty to possession of a knife in a Section 60 area.

The order gives police enhanced stop and search powers to stop individuals and is designed to minimise serious violence.

The court heard how Daintith was arrested after revealing he had a craft knife tucked into the waistband of his trousers.

When asked why he had the knife during a police interview following his arrest, Daintith said he “was a smackhead who picks everything up”.

His case will go to Liverpool Crown Court on 15 August for sentence because the defendant has a previous conviction for a similar offence.

After being denied bail and taken into custody, Daintith, who was wearing a football shirt, shouted: “Wanker”.

Elsewhere, Bristol Magistrates’ Court has heard how 42-year-old Lee James “couldn’t get” a knuckleduster off his hand during riots in Southampton because “he has quite thick knuckles”.

Representing James, Janet Brownlow said her client had attended the protest “out of curiosity” and wanted to stress that he is “not a racist”.

She said James had picked up the knuckle-duster at a property he had previously worked on and left it in his van, from where he had picked it up and put it on before the protest.

District Judge Lynne Matthews remanded James into custody ahead of his sentencing hearing at Southampton Crown Court on 12 August.

Sky News