A MAN who had previously been assaulted armed himself with a knife for protection.

Blackburn magistrates heard David Postlethwaite threw the knife away when he was approached by police who had seen him acting suspiciously at 1.30am.

But the officers spotted what he had done and recovered the weapon.

Postlethwaite, 50, of St Ives Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to possessing an offensive weapon in a public place. He was sentenced to eight weeks in prison suspended for six months, made subject to a curfew between 8 pm and 8 am for six weeks and ordered to pay £85 costs and £115 victim surcharge.

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, said Postlethwaite had been charged with possessing an offensive weapon because of the possibility that violence would be used if required.

Gareth Price, defending, said his client accepted the police would take an interest in him when they saw him out near his home at 1.30am.

He said three weeks earlier his client had been attacked and he showed the officers some injuries resulting from that.

"It wasn't his desire or intention to use this knife," said Mr Price. "He accepts that if he were put in a position were he had to contemplate defending himself he may have used the knife."