A MAN who failed to appear to answer charges before Bathurst Local Court on Monday, including carrying a knife in a public place, has had a warrant issued for his arrest.
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Visiting magistrate Viney issued a Section 196 warrant for matters against Khayden Lee Fernando, 20, of Bannerman Crescent, Kelso, on Monday.
According to the police facts, Fernando told police he carried the knife for his own protection after having some “dramas”.
The charges against Fernando related to an incident which was alleged to have occurred at around 5.35pm on Friday, June 15 this year.
Police were patrolling Boyd Street in Kelso when they said they saw Fernando, wearing an orange backpack, walking along the road towards them.
As he got closer, police said they could clearly see the large wooden handle of a knife protruding from the top of his backpack.
The court heard police turned and got out of their police vehicle.
They spoke to Fernando and told him to drop his backpack.
Fernando complied with the directive, saying to police: “I’ve got a knife, but nothing else on me.”
Police cautioned Fernando and searched the accused and his backpack.
They removed the knife from the backpack and the court heard it was a large Kabar style hunting knife with an 18-centimetre blade and a 12-centimetre handle.
The accused was questioned by the officers and he said he had had some “dramas with people lately” and he had the knife for his own protection, according to the police facts.
He was placed under arrest by the officers and driven to the Bathurst Police Station, where he was charged with the matters.