A dad-of-eight who turned up at Hamilton police station in the early hours of the morning carrying two knives has been jailed.
Gary Young had been told to leave his partner's home and turned to the police for help.
Young, 37, appeared from custody at Hamilton Sheriff Court this week.
He admitted illegal possession of the knives on January 17 last year.
The court heard he arrived at the police station at 1.45am, complaining he couldn't get a taxi.
He was then arrested in relation to an alleged incident in the town's Fairhill Crescent and was searched.
Mairi-Clare McMillan, prosecuting, said: "Two small lockback knives were found in a pair of socks in a bag the accused had with him.
"He told officers: 'Those must be my son's. Some of the clothes are his'."
Defence agent Ross Jenkins said Young has had "significant addiction difficulties" over the years and is currently on methadone.
The lawyer explained: "On this occasion he was told by his partner to leave the house.
"He was looking for somewhere to stay and contacted his mother who told him he was not welcome at her address.
"She advised him to go to the police station to seek assistance and he did so.
"There is no suggestion he was attempting to use these knives. He can't explain why they were in his possession."
Sheriff Thomas Millar noted Young has two recent convictions for possessing offensive weapons and said the latest case had to be regarded as serious.
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The sheriff jailed him for six months, reduced from 16 months as he spent time on remand last year after his arrest.
