A MAN has admitted being in possession of a blade at Chester Station.

Simon Mao, 35, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the offence when he appeared at the city’s magistrates court.

The incident happened in October 2022 but Andrew Madden, prosecuting, said there was no explanation as to why the case had taken so long to come to court.

He added that British Transport Police had been at the train station on patrol in plain clothes as part of a ‘stop and search’ operation targeting those who carried drugs.

They stopped Mao as they believed he smelled of cannabis, of which he possessed a small amount of but was not charged for.

But officers also found a lock-knife, which was 11 centimetres in length.

Robert Edwards, defending, said Mao had no idea the blade would be considered illegal.

He said: “He was given this folding knife, he tells me, by his grandad.

“He was living at a homeless shelter doing valeting on buses in Shotton and wasn’t provided with tools. He didn’t realise the knife was illegal.”

Chair of the magistrates bench Peter Walsh ordered a pre-sentence report be carried out by the probation service before sentencing.

To allow the report to be produced the case was adjourned until January 16 when Mao will return to Chester Magistrates Court to be sentenced.