Man caught with a knife at South Shields Metro Station detained in hospital to ‘protect the public’

Police were alerted to Kyle Wood, 33, who they suspected of carrying a weapon in his rucksack on February 1, last year.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that a search of his clothing by officers at South Shields Metro Station uncovered a stanley knife.

Wood, who now resides at Hopewood Park Hospital in Sunderland, has previous relevant convictions and was sentenced to a community order in 2019 for the same offence.

Rachel Glover, prosecuting, told Newcastle Crown Court: "They (officers) spoke to him and he was intoxicated.

"He told them he was on his way to a probation appointment.

"They subsequently searched him and he had a stanley knife in his pocket."

Ms Glover said Wood admitted to carrying the blade during his police interview, and that he told officers he had needed it for a camping trip.

He was also subject to a community order at the time for harassment and breaching a restraining order.

In his defence, the court heard Wood pleaded guilty at an early stage.

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The court heard confirmation of a doctor's report which stated Wood had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital due to a significant mental health disorder.

Mr Recorder Sandiford said a pre-sentence report labelled the defendant as a "high risk" member of the public due to an untreatable disorder.

He was sentenced to a hospital order for an indefinite amount of time.

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