Police recover knife after man flees officers in St Neots

A man has been given a suspended prison sentence after police recovered a knife during a stop in St Neots.

Neighbourhood officers were on patrol in the town on Wednesday 18 February when they spotted Fynley Jefferies acting suspiciously while walking along the B1041.

When officers approached to speak with him, the 22-year-old ran off. As he fled, officers saw him remove a knife from his waistband and throw it over a nearby garden fence.

Jefferies, of Parker Close in Eynesbury, was arrested and a large purple kitchen knife was recovered.

During interview with Cambridgeshire Police, Jefferies told officers he was carrying the knife for what he described as “protection”.

He appeared before Huntingdon Magistrates Court on Thursday 19 February, where he pleaded guilty to possession of a knife in a public place and possession of cannabis.

Jefferies was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for two years.

PC Tom Russell, from the Huntingdon Neighbourhood Team, said the incident showed the importance of proactive patrols.

“Thanks to swift action from our officers, another knife has been taken off the streets before it could be used to harm someone,” he said.

“Carrying a knife is incredibly dangerous and completely unacceptable.”

Police say they will continue patrols and enforcement activity across St Neots and surrounding areas to tackle knife crime.