A YOUNG man could face a jail term after being found in possession of a lock knife in public in Ellesmere Port.

Jack Richards, 20, of Ross Avenue, Chester, pleaded guilty at Chester Magistrates Court on Monday, September 3 to possession of the knife and also possessing cocaine.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report.

The court heard that for offences of this nature, the starting point for sentencing is six months imprisonment.

Prosecuting, Alan Curams said it was at 12.45am on August 16 when officers stopped a group of three males in Hope Farm Road.

One of them was Richards, and it was discovered he had a lock knife on him.

A strip search was carried out while he was in custody and a small quantity of white powder was recovered, later found to be cocaine.

In police interview, Richards said he was an apprentice carpenter and took the lock knife to open boxes.

He had forgotten he had it on him in his shorts, he added.

He had paid about £40 for the cocaine.

In Richards' defence, the court heard he was a man of good character with no previous convictions, and the offence had no aggravating features.

Magistrates adjourned the case until October 1, when Richards is scheduled to appear at Chester Magistrates Court to be sentenced.

Crown Prosecution Service guidelines say magistrates must impose a custodial sentence of at least six months, unless it would be unjust to do so.