An aspiring journalist has been jailed after being found with a knife and drugs on his way to a birthday celebration.

Clifford Creighton, who was due to start a university course in sports journalism in September, was sent to prison after pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article in public, as well as possession of cocaine, cannabis and amphetamine.

Creighton, 22, was sentenced to eight weeks in jail by District Judge Michael Fanning, sitting at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court.

According to the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, the court heard police caught Creighton in a car with the drugs and a knife tucked into his underpants as he was travelling to celebrate his birthday on 23 September.

Kirklees Magistrates’ Court

Clint Chambers, prosecuting, said he had tried to hide the blaed from officers in a state of panic after their car was pulled over, but it was discovered when he was searched at Huddersfield Police Station following his arrest.

Zahid Majeed, defendig, said: “He had the drugs in his possession because of the very recent celebration of his birthday. The knife was not held in dangerous circumstances.

“Mr Creighton works at a body workshop for his friend’s father, had it for the course of his employment and forgot that he had it on him. He accepts that he should have taken it home and it’s clear to him now that possession of a bladed article is extremely serious.”

Judge Fanning was asked to consider a community-based penalty for Creighton.

But he told him: “I take a particularly dim view of people who carry knives, whether they use them or not. You are 22 years of age with a very limited record, intelligent with lots of opportunities ahead of you.

“But you were with a group in a car, late on a Friday night in the town centre, in possession of drugs and with a knife tucked into your underwear. Knife crime in the UK is out of control and Huddersfield sees more than its fair share of people willing to carry weapons and use them.

“You also make yourself a target and could potentially come to harm even though this weapon has not been used. The Court of Appeal has made it very clear that if you carry a knife, other than in exceptional circumstances, you will go to prison.”

Judge Fanning jailed Creighton for a total of eight weeks and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knife and drugs.