A MAN has been jailed after being caught walking through a Hampshire street with two knives.

Mitchell Reynolds was among a group of three people who were arrested after being spotted in Otterbourne.

Prosecutor Charles Gabb told Winchester Crown Court that at around 3pm on November 20, concerned residents called police about the trio.

"One was wearing a face mask and one was waving around a rather large kitchen knife," Mr Gabb said.

He added police were directed towards the trio by a group of schoolchildren in the area at the time.

When they were stopped in Boyatt Lane by police, Reynolds was found with a lock knife and a Stanley knife, while his co-defendant Sapphire White had a lock knife.

Mr Gabb said while being driven away by officers "she pulled out a small packet of cannabis".

Reynolds pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a bladed article, while White pleaded guilty to one count, plus a count of possession of a class B drug. The third person was not identified during the hearing.

Mr Gabb said this was Reynolds' third conviction for possession of a bladed article, while the court also heard he had 16 convictions for 42 offences.

Mitigating, Richard Hutchings said Reynolds, aged 19, "held his hands up" after getting caught and "specifically asked me not to waste the court's time".

Mr Hutchings added: "He is still young. Something has got to change, he acknowledges that.

"He wants to be a mechanic, not a criminal."

Mr Hutchings also said Reynolds, who was homeless, had been taking drugs, but has since stopped.

Sentencing Reynolds, Judge Keith Cutler, the Recorder of Winchester, jailed him for a total of 12 months.

Judge Cutler said: "People are often killed by their own knives. It is no protection at all. "You must be able to learn to live with yourself, to walk down the street without feeling a piece of steel in your pocket.

"This is a very serious matter."

Turning to White, aged 20 of The Polygon, Southampton, Judge Cutler sentenced her to a 12-month community order, which includes 60 hours of unpaid work.

He said: "You don't have those previous convictions. I do very much bear in mind you have done things wrong, but at the same time I hope this is something that will not happen again."

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