Boston woman had kitchen knife because she was in fear of drug dealer she owed £20

A 28 YEAR old woman who was found in possession of a knife in the early hours of the morning in Boston town centre, was in fear of a drug dealer to whom she owed just £20, a court has been told.
Woman in court for possessing kitchen knifeWoman in court for possessing kitchen knife
Woman in court for possessing kitchen knife

Katrina Hooper of Woodthorpe Avenue, admitted possessing the kitchen knife, which had an 11cm blade, in a public place when she appeared at the town's magistrates court.

Prosecuting, Jim Clare said that in the early hours of February 22, cctv picked up images of a woman behaving suspiciously in West Street and police found Hooper, with the knife in her jacket pocket.

When she was asked to explain why she had it, she told officers that it was for self defence as 'you never know who's about'.

The court heard that Hooper, a heroin addict, owed a drug dealer £20 and 'believed she would suffer harm'.

Mitigating, David Eager said the best way to make sure she didn't offend again was to get her clear of her drugs habit.

After telling the court that she voluntarily attended Addaction and was now on a methadone prescription, he said: “This young lady deserves a chance as she is trying to help herself.”

Sentencing her to a period of four months custody suspended for a year, the magistrates said it had been 'potentially a very dangerous situation'.

She was also given a four month drug referral order and ordered to undertake 20 days of rehabilitation, as well as to pay £200 in costs and charges.