A teenager, who was caught with a lock knife tucked down his trousers has escaped jail.

On March 15, Marian Iamandi, of Churchill Road, Yarmouth was caught carrying a lock knife in North Denes Road, Yarmouth.

The 19-year-old, who pleaded guilty to the offence, was stopped by police and found with the knife tucked into his trouser waist band after officers received a tip-off from a member of the public.

Appearing at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday (July 23), the court heard how prior to the events of March 15, Iamandi had been a man of good character who had a full-time job in a poultry factory and harboured aspirations of studying mechanics.

Mitigating, David Stewart told the court: "The incident on March 15 was clearly short and the knife was not brandished, nobody was threatened and he went quietly when he was arrested.

"This young man wants to better himself and I think it would be unnecessary to incarcerate this young man immediately considering his youthfulness and good character."

Sentencing Iamandi Judge Maureen Bacon told him she had taken into consideration his previously good character, guilty plea and age.

Warning him of the gravity of the offence he had committed and the view parliament and therefore the courts took on such offences, she said: "I am sure you are well aware from what you see on TV or from what you read in newspapers or simply hear, that people are very concerned about those who are carrying knives.

"Because so often they're used to injure people in the heat of the moment and sometimes it leads to the death of a young person and so parliament has taken the view that this is a serious offence."

Sentencing Iamandi to four months in a young offenders' institution, suspended for 12 months, plus 100 hours unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation days and a £500 victim surcharge, Judge Bacon said: "There is no need to carry a knife so do not carry one."