Man caught with a large hunting knife while he was on bail for attempted theft of motorbike

20-YEAR-OLD HANDED SUSPENDED PRISON SENTENCE

- By MARK NAYLOR

THE “horrendous” problem of knife crime among young men in Hull formed the sinister backdrop to an alarming incident in which a balaclava-wearing youth was caught with a large hunting knife.

People who were found carrying knives often claimed that they were not going to use them - but violent confrontations could quickly “escalate” and lead to serious and even fatal injuries.

There was also a growing problem with crime linked to motorcycles and Ellis Start was involved in that type of worrying offending as well as the shocking incident in which he was carrying a large knife, Hull Crown Court heard.

Start, 20, of Chestnut Avenue, off Queens Road, west Hull, admitted possessing a knife on July 4 and attempted robbery on May 12.

Amber Hobson, prosecuting, said that Start was on bail for the earlier attempted robbery when he was involved in a knife incident.

A police officer spotted a group of youths all wearing balaclavas as a disguise. They were acting suspiciously and Start was stopped and searched. He was found with a large hunting knife in a sheath in his waistband. He was arrested but he made no comment during police interview.