Taxi driver left without job following knuckle duster discoveryA FORMER taxi driver has been left without an income after police discovered a knuckle duster in his vehicle, a court has heard.
Pauls Marks, of Littlefield Close, Barnstaple, was approached by officers in Ilfracombe during the evening of May 3 after parking on the zig zagged lines of a pedestrian crossing.
Lyndsey Baker, for the prosecution, said that after officers asked the 27-year-old to move his taxi, they became concerned after smelling cannabis and so decided to carry out a search of his vehicle.
"He admitted to smoking cannabis about 20 minutes before going out in the car," Mrs Baker said. "Officers found a knuckle duster in the driver's side door compartment as well as a small bag of cannabis.
"He told officers he found the knuckle duster in the back of the cab a few weeks before and had placed it in the door and forgotten about it."
Mrs Baker added that despite the discovery there was no indication that Marks intended to use the weapon.
Lawrence Overend, for the defence, told the court that the offence relating to the knuckle duster "seems to have occurred against a rather unfortunate twist of fate".
He said: "What he should have done was taken steps to dispose or hand in the item, but probably without giving it any degree of thought at all he just put it in the door compartment."
Mr Overend added that as a result of the discovery Marks had already been significantly punished as he had decided not to renew his taxi drivers' licence.
Marks pleaded guilty to possessing 3.08g of cannabis and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place.
He was ordered to carry out 80 hours' unpaid work and fined £70. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £60 and a criminal courts charge of £180.
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