Portsmouth man caught with baton 'for his own protection' spared prison
A MAN who claimed he had a baton in his car for protection against drug dealers he owed money has been spared jail.
Glen Hall, 49, of Edinburgh Road, Portsmouth, was spotted by police in Furness Road, Southsea on October 1.
Portsmouth Crown Court heard Hall immediately told officers he had the asp and was arrested.
Heavily-convicted Hall breathed out in relief as judge Timothy Mousley QC imposed a five-month jail term suspended for 18 months.
The judge said: ‘What I want to do is impose a sentence that’s going to deter you from carrying this kind of implement again.’
Judge Mousley added he was ‘just about able to suspend the sentence’. Hall was given a community order in July and had not breached this but had been ‘verbally abusive and aggressive’ in probation sessions.
The judge said: ‘The police came across you in Furness Road. You were in a parked vehicle, it was about 1am in the morning.
‘They looked in the front passenger seat. There was an asp. You said, and you cooperated with police, you had it for your protection.’
Hall admitted having an offensive weapon. The weapon must be forfeited and destroyed.