A hospital patient who was found to be armed with a knife has walked free from court despite having more than 300 previous convictions.
A nurse was helping Craig Nicholson put his jacket on as he prepared to leave the RVI, in Newcastle, when she noticed he had a plastic bag in his sleeve. When she looked inside there was a ten inch knife with a six inch blade. The nurse called security and Nicholson was arrested.
Newcastle Crown Court heard he already had 321 previous convictions on a vast criminal record that stretches to 56 pages on the police national computer, including six for knife-related offences. But now he has been given a final chance to prove he can stay out of trouble.
The court heard it was in January last year that a nurse had been dealing with Nicholson after he was found in a "comatose" state near the Monument in the city centre.
She was helping him prepare to leave and when she asked what was in the bag in his sleeve, he didn't reply, so she looked. He claimed he had just bought it but could not produce the receipt he claimed to have so was reported to police.
Nicholson, 43, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to having a bladed article and Judge Stephen Earl sentenced him to 21 months suspended for two years. The judge told him if he offends again he will go straight to prison. He said: "You are now in what can only be described as the last chance saloon."
Jamie Adams, defending, said Nicholson has sought support and reduced his drinking. He added: "He has led a chaotic lifestyle not helped by epilepsy and excessive drinking."
