A 21-year-old woman working in a Birmingham pub received a stern warning from magistrates after a knuckleduster was found in her coat pocket. Malika Brown was arrested on December 27 last year following reports of an assault at an address on Camden Street in the Jewellery Quarter.
Initially detained on suspicion of assault, Brown was later charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. She pleaded guilty to this lesser offence during a hearing in July. Prosecutor Shajah Javed informed Birmingham Magistrates' Court that police discovered the knuckleduster during the arrest.
Brown, who has previous theft convictions, was represented by Mr Murria. He told the court that she was very anxious about the prospect of imprisonment and acknowledged that ignorance of the law regarding knuckledusters was not a defence. He noted that such items are prohibited because they are intended solely as weapons. Despite her record, Brown pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
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Mr Murria requested a community sentence rather than custody, highlighting Brown’s part-time employment at a city pub and reliance on universal credit. He emphasised the potential benefits of rehabilitation to address underlying issues affecting her decision-making.
Sentencing Brown to a 24-month community order, magistrate Ms Hake emphasised it was her last chance to improve her life. Brown was also ordered to complete 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 300 hours of unpaid work. The magistrate acknowledged Brown’s emotional state and urged her to use this opportunity to move forward positively, warning that any further offences would result in imprisonment. Court costs were waived due to Brown’s limited income.