A Royston man has been handed a suspended sentence for possession of a knife in the town centre.

Rado Bakalov, of Warren Corner, appeared by video link at Hatfield Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday last week.

He pleaded guilty to carrying a kitchen knife without good reason or authority in Market Hill in on January 1, 2020 – contrary to section 139(1) and (6) of the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

The 32-year-old was given a three-month jail term suspended for 12 months by chairman of the bench Carl Lawson.

The reason for the sentence being is that the offence was “serious”, and it was his second bladed article-related offence.

Bakalov was also ordered to pay a surcharge of £122 to fund victims’ services, and £85 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

He was authorised to pay the total fine of £207 in instalments of £20 per month starting in October.