DRUGS patrol police found a man in possession of a knife and nearly £2,000 in cash after stopping and searching him on a Greenock street, the sheriff court has heard.

Sean Bontje offered no explanation for having an orange-handled Stanley blade and the money to two plain clothes officers.

However, the 31-year-old Dutch national told the court that he had been doing a cash-in-hand renovation of a flat and had been going out to buy materials for the work.

He was stopped outside a common close on Dempster Street after the officers spotted him entering and then leaving again in the space of around one minute.

One officer said: "We had information on that close in particular regarding drug dealing activity.

"It was our intention to speak to the male and ascertain why he had come and gone from the close so quickly.

"We pulled alongside him and I showed him my police issue warrant card.

"He was hesitant to respond and denied having entered that close."

The Stanley knife was recovered from Bontje's right trouser pocket and a total of £1,985 in cash was found 'stuffed' inside two of his jacket pockets, the court heard.

He was asked why he had the money and said he didn't know and 'shrugged his shoulder', a trial was told.

The officer said: "He offered no explanation at the time as to why he had the knife."

Bontje told the court that he has been living in Greenock for the last eight years and was staying in a flat within the close whilst renovating it.

He said: "I had been cutting linoleum for the floor.

"If the police had searched the flat they would have found other tools."

Prosecutor Andrew Brown asked: "Why did you not just say this to the police at the time?"

Bontje replied: "I didn't know they were police. They did not identify themselves as police and I did not trust them at first."

Fiscal depute Mr Brown said: "But you let them search you."

Bontje responded: "Yes."

He added: "English is not my first language."

Mr Brown asked: "Did you tell the police you were doing work in the property?"

Bontje replied: "No."

Mr Brown said: "You have had no difficulty in telling me what the money was for, so why did you not tell the police?"

Bontje replied: "I though it best to have no explanation, or say anything at all."

Sheriff Michael Higgins told Bontje: "I do not accept your account to be either credible or reliable.

"You knew these two men were police officers at the point you were handcuffed, and at no point then or later did you offer any explanation for having the knife.

"I find you guilty as libelled."

Sentence on Bontje, of Holmscroft Street, has been deferred until April 19 for a background report and electronic tagging assessment to be prepared.