A TEENAGER discarded the blade from a Samurai sword as he was chased by a police officer.

Blackburn magistrates heard Karl Sharples had been in the queue in a petrol station shop when he first came to the attention of the officer who formed the opinion he was drunk.

And it later transpired that Sharples was in breach of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order banning him from being drunk in a public place.

Sharples, 18, of Hope Street, Darwen, was sent in custody to Preston Crown Court for sentence.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the policeman went into the petrol station on Bolton Road, Blackburn, and noticed Sharples at the head of the queue.

A customer told the officer Sharples had some kind of blade concealed under his jumper.

"Sharples ran off and as the officer gave chase he discarded a large metal blade in Junction Street," said Miss Allan. "The officer found Sharples hiding behind a wall."

She said Sharples was extremely drunk and had a half empty bottle of cider, also putting him in breach of his ASBO, which he had breached on six occasions.

She said that in August he had been sent to a youth offender institute for 12 months for breach of the order and possession of an offensive weapon.

"He must only have been released from that sentence shortly before committing this very similar offence," added Miss Allan.

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said Sharples described the item as a blunt metal blade with no handle. "He would not describe it as a Samurai Sword," said Mr Taylor. "He found it in a back alley and picked it up."

Mr Taylor said Sharples was caught in a cycle of alcohol abuse and desperately wanted to break it.