A Strathaven dad caught with a knife claimed it was only used for peeling potatoes "and my weans all have one".
The blade was discovered after security guards found Bryan Morrison asleep in a shopping centre doorway.
Morrison, 31, of Loudon Street, admitted possession of the knife on August 27 last year.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard on Friday that CCTV operators saw a male sleeping in a doorway at East Kilbride Shopping Centre shortly before 9pm.
Neil Thomson, prosecuting, said: "Security guards went to investigate and found the accused who appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.
"As he got up the guards noticed a knife lying at his feet.
"Morrison later told police he carried the knife only because he gets bullied and suffers from anxiety.
"He said it was only a potato peeler 'and my weans all have one'.
"He then said he was sorry, he shouldn't have had it and it was a stupid mistake."
Defence agent Stephen McQuillan said CCTV showed Morrison asleep in the doorway for five hours.
He accepted his client's criminal record is "considerable".
Sheriff Ray Small deferred sentence until next month for a criminal justice social work report.
Morrison was allowed to remain on bail, but the sheriff imposed a 7pm to 7am curfew "for public safety reasons".
