A TEENAGER who was spotted carrying a six-inch kitchen blade on Greenock streets at 2.30am has been locked up.

Kieran O'Donnell, 19, was out on bail on an allegation of serious assault when CCTV operators saw him with the knife.

He was roaming around Nile Street near its junction with Trafalgar Street with a group of other young males when police moved in to arrest him.

Prosecutor Lindy Scaife told the town's sheriff court: "At around 2.30am two employees of River Clyde Homes were watching CCTV coverage within their office.

"They saw the accused and a number of others come from a flat.

"The accused was observed standing in Nile Street in possible possession of a kitchen knife with a blade of approximately six inches."

O'Donnell, of Grieve Road, committed the blade offence in the early hours of August 22.

He was also charged with behaving in a threatening or abusive manner, adopting an aggressive demeanour, kicking a vehicle and striking a door.

However, his not guilty plea to these allegations was accepted following negotiations between defence lawyer Gordon Nicol and the Crown.

Mr Nicol said: "A relative saw him in the street and removed the knife from him.

"At the point at which he was arrested he did not have the knife."

Sheriff Daniel Kelly deferred sentence on O'Donnell for a background report and electronic tagging assessment.

The sheriff told him: "Given the nature of this offence and the fact that you were on solemn bail on an allegation of violence, I do not consider bail appropriate.

"You will be remanded in custody for the preparation of reports."

The case is due to call again on October 2.