A homeless man found with an arrowhead in his pocket told police he had the weapon to "stab anyone who came near him". Benjamin Kirkup, 43, was stopped by officers at Leeds Railway Station and admitted he had something sharp on him before the arrowhead was discovered.
Arrest and guilty plea
Kirkup, formerly from the Doncaster area but now living on the streets in Newcastle, pleaded guilty to possession of an offensive weapon in a public place at Newcastle Magistrates' Court. Prosecutor Chike Anieto said police were at the station on March 12 in relation to a separate incident when they decided to search the defendant.
During the search, Kirkup said he had something sharp on his person, and an arrowhead was found. When asked why he had it, he said: "To stab someone if they come near me." In a subsequent interview, he repeated that the arrowhead was "to stab someone if they come close to me for my protection".
Mental health and background
The court heard Kirkup was in an emotional state due to "crack-psychosis" and initially used the arrowhead to clean his crack pipe. His solicitor, Ben Hurst, said Kirkup, who has eight offences on his record, is now drug-free and doing well on a suspended sentence he received last month.
Mr Hurst added: "It's now about him keeping clean. He never produced the weapon, it was in his pocket, and he's told the police about it. He's got significant mental health issues."
Sentence and costs
Kirkup was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
