Knife thug had 'copious amounts' of white powder around his nose during rampage at Leeds coach station

Liam Taylor told police he was a 'vegetarian who likes to cook' when he was caught with the weapon on August 11 this year.

Taylor, 30, was given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place.

Leeds Crown Court heard police were called to the station and when officers arrived Taylor was swinging a broom around and directing it towards staff.

Benjamin Whittingham, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was grinding his jaw and there were copious amounts of white powder around the defendant's nostrils."

Officers found a knife with a three-inch blade in his possession.

Taylor, of Wordsworth Road, Leicester, told officers the white powder was Co-codamol, not cocaine.

He and said he had the knife as he was on holiday and is a vegetarian who likes to cook.

He was arrested, cautioned and taken to the police station.

In his police interview, he repeated that he had been carrying the knife for cooking.

He claimed he had left his other cooking utensils behind because they needed to be cleaned and he liked the knife the best.

Taylor has 17 previous convictions for 29 offences.

Kristina Goodwin, mitigating, said her client was homeless at the time of the offence but had found somewhere to live with the help of a charity.

She said Taylor is currently looking for a job.

Judge Penelope Belcher gave Taylor a four-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with a requirement to complete 15 days of rehabilitation activity.