A 45-YEAR-OLD man caught with a knife in a public place after police were called to an incident near his Galashiels home has been fined £450 at Selkirk Sheriff Court.

Defence lawyer Ross Dow explained that Bruce Lumsden had been involved in a fledgling business wrapping vinyl onto cars to protect their paintwork.

He accepted that forgetting he had the blade in his possession and that he never took it out of his pocket was not a good enough excuse.

However a not guilty plea to a separate charge of threatening or abusive behaviour was accepted by the Crown.

In addition to the fine, Lumsden, of Langlee Drive, was ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.