A 26-year-old man broke down into tears in Magistrates' Court after admitting he was carrying two knives when Police arrested him.

Lico Smith covered his face, when his grandmother explained how he helped her with rent and was a good boy. Smith had been charged with possession of a bladed weapon and two counts of possession of offensive weapons on January 18.

Police were called to a Mullet Bay, St. George's house where a burglary was said to be in progress. When they arrived, officers were told Smith was the culprit. After a search of the area, an officer found Smith on Wellington Road, St. George's but when he tried to arrest the defendant a struggle ensued.

During the conflict a black knife fell out of the defendant's jacket and when he was wrestled to the ground, Smith picked up a concrete slab. The officer sprayed Smith with mace and a second blue folded knife was found on the St. George's man.

Yesterday in court, Smith explained that he had been sleeping at a friend's house and was carrying the knives because he is a fisherman.

He said: "I was sleeping in the house with the owner of the house and he was on the couch and I was on the floor. He must have gotten up and gone to town. His momma must have come in and seen me and called the Police."

Smith, however, had two previous convictions for carrying bladed weapons as recently as 2005 so the tears did not convince Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner.

Mr. Warner sentenced him to three years suspended for the possession of a bladed weapon, fined him $400 for the blue knife and another $400 for the concrete slab.

Mr. Warner said: "I am not impressed by your crying and distress because your record indicates you are not a softy, but I have to weigh the circumstances of each case.

"You live with your grandmother and that's the only exceptional circumstance I find in this situation."