Fine for Boston courier found with cauliflower knife in van

A courier accused of ‘brandishing a machete’ out of his vehicle window has appeared in court.

Adrian Blackmore, 58, pleaded guilty to being in possession of a blade when he appeared before Boston Magistrates on Wednesday.

However, it was later revealed the item was a cauliflower cutting knife he had previously used in a past job.

“On September 29 police received a report of a man driving, brandishing a machete out of the window,” said prosecutor Lottie Tyler, describing the incident which took place in Sleaford.

Officers discovered the vehicle belonged to Blackmore and attended his address at Wellington Road, Boston.

“Police noticed the defendant reverse onto the drive and arrested him for possession of the knife.

“The defendant said it wasn’t a machete but a cauliflower cutting knife. He made full admissions.”

Defending Blackmore, Mike Alexander refuted the prosecution’s claims.

“In this position, it is not accepted he brandished the knife at all,” he said.

Mr Alexander suggested the report to police would have been made by another driver who had forced Blackmore’s vehicle to ‘break heavily’.

“The knife was on the back seat and heavy breaking saw the knife slip from the seat onto the floor,” he added.

“All he did was pick the knife up from the driver’s footwell and put it into the passenger footwell.

“Nobody came forward to make a statement about him brandishing a knife at all. The other car driver refused to make a statement when police asked him to.”

A probation report said: “He used to use the knife for work in the fields but stopped doing this seven years ago.

“He kept the knife in the car as he knew local farmers and would sometimes collect vegetables from fields.

“He didn’t realise it was illegal (to have the blade in the car) and viewed it as a work tool rather than a weapon.”

Blackmore was fined £200 and ordered to pay £85 costs and an £80 victim surcharge.

Magistrates ordered the forfeiture of the blade.