A 63-year-old woman who carried a knife for protection because she feared she was going to be beaten up has been spared jail. Police discovered the knife in a bum bag carried by Judith Tyrer as accompanied a friend to collect some clothes from a house in the early hours of the morning, StokeonTrentLive reports.
Now Tyrer, who has not committed an offence for more than 20 years, has been sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months after appearing before magistrates in North Staffordshire. Prosecutor Zaine Riaz said police attended an address in Blurton, Staffs at 1am on February 9 after receiving a report that two people had attempted to break in with a crowbar.
Mr Riaz said: "Police found two women matching the description. Neither were in possession of a crowbar. However, the defendant was stopped and searched and she told the officer she had a knife in her bag. She said she was expecting trouble and it was for protection. She was arrested."
