A TRANENT man has appeared in court after he was caught with a knife in a pub.

Police found Liam Edmond drinking at Whispers in the town and asked him to step outside to speak to them concerning a matter no longer before the courts.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that, while police were speaking to Edmond, he informed the officers that he was in possession of a lock knife.

The 26-year-old, of Baxters Neuk, was searched and the blade was located in the “bottom of his right trouser leg”.

Fiscal depute Morgan Beattie told the court that Edmond said to the officers: “It’s a bushcraft knife and I use it for my work.”

Lawyer Calum Turner said that his client was currently on a community payback order consisting of unpaid work after he was convicted of “a number of assaults” last October.

Mr Turner said: “Given the nature of the offence before the court, I would expect your Lordship will require reports.”

Sheriff Alistair Noble agreed to defer sentence on Edmond to May 8 for criminal justice social work reports to be completed.

Edmond pleaded guilty to possessing a knife at High Street, Tranent, on October 18 last year.