Bandage scissors land Leeds criminal back behind bars under two-strike weapons rule

Simon Moss, who was more than 100 offences to his name, has previously been jailed for making threats with a weapon in 2016, and was caught carrying the scissors on Harehills Lane during this summer. A second-strike ruling for possessing an offensive weapon carries an automatic minimum six-month mandatory prison sentence.

Leeds Crown Court heard that patrolling police officers were informed by a member of the public that a man was dealing drugs outside a takeaway at around midnight on May 25. When they arrived at the shop, they spotted 51-year-old Moss with a takeaway, quickly trying to get away on a bicycle.

They stopped and searched him, and found him in possession of small amounts of crack cocaine, heroin and the synthetic cannabis, spice. They also found the scissors and a multi-tool fitted with a lock knife.

He refused to leave his cell at the police station but later admitted an offence of carrying the offensive weapon. The Crown did not pursue a second charge in relation to the lock knife. Moss also admitted possession of the drugs, which was dealt with at Leeds Magistrates’ Court.

The court was told that Moss, of Miles Hill Square, Potternewton, has 52 previous convictions for 116 offences, including shoplifting from earlier this year, for which he received a 12-month community order. His latest offending put him in breach of the order. He also admitted an an additional offence of failing to surrender to custody with reasonable cause.

Mitigating, Stuart Field said of the scissors: “They are not the most pointed items nor were they the sharpest. They were designed for cutting bandages because he had an injury. He knows as a result of his previous conviction that consequences will follow.

"Drug addiction has blighted him in recent years and affects the way he behaves.”

He was given a six-month sentence by the judge, Recorder Tony Watkin, who told him: “You are no stranger to these courts. You have had a long-standing problems with drugs.”