A MAN claimed he armed himself with a craft knife because he was being bullied by “a big lad” in the pub.

Blackburn magistrates heard Shakeel Aktar was caught on CCTV crossing a town centre street with the weapon in his hand and it was found in his pocket when police arrested him.

Aktar, 51, of Cambridge Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to possessing a knife in Darwen Street.

He was committed on bail to Preston Crown Court to be sentenced after the magistrates heard he had a previous conviction for a similar offence which meant the starting sentence was six months in prison.

Alex Mann, prosecuting, said just after midnight on April 21 CCTV picked up a man running away from the Sun public house, Astley Gate, with a knife in his hand. He was seen to run down an alley to the rear of the Postal Order in Darwen Street.

When he was arrested Aktar accepted he had been in the Sun and had taken the craft knife with him because of a 'big lad bullying people'.

“He said he took the knife for his own protection,” said Mrs Mann.

“He said he had shown the other man the knife and he had then told staff who ejected him.”

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said the 'bully' had been subjecting his client to a great deal of abuse.

“That goes back to my client making fun of the football team the other man supports and ever since then he has targeted him,” said Mr Taylor.

“He took the knife with him to make sure he could protect himself and to stop the other man from bullying him.”

Mr Taylor said the previous knife conviction went back to 2003.