A MOTORIST had an arsenal of weapons in his car including knuckledusters and a machete, York Crown Court heard.

Twice police found knives in the car of Colin Morrell, 70, when he parked it near a canal.

Today, Morrell is awaiting sentence for eight charges of having weapons in public.

The Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, said: “Knuckledusters are shocking weapons in the wrong hands.”

Morrell’s barrister Laura Addy said: “They were clearly not in the hands of someone who was going to use them.”

She said Morrell collected weapons which he stored in his car which he believed to be a “private area”.

Miss Addy said police decided to speak to Morrell because the car was parked in an “unusual place”.

It was there because it had broken down.

When they approached, they saw a knife in the driver’s door pocket.

They searched Morrell’s car and found five more weapons.

“He has never wanted to use them and has never used them,” she said.

Morrell, who walks with a stick, of Maltings Court, Selby, pleaded guilty to three charges of having offensive weapons and three of having knives in public.

He was released on bail until he is sentenced on January 31.

Jonathan Foy, prosecuting, said police saw Morrell when he was parked at Whitley Lock near Goole at 11.45am on July 21.

He had two knuckledusters, the machete, and three lock knives with him.

Some were in the glove compartment and others were in boxes.

He was on bail when police again found knives in his car.

At a separate hearing before York magistrates, Martin Butterworth, prosecuting, said Morrell was parked in a similar place near Whitley Lock in the early hours of December 1.

He had a folding flick knife in the driver’s door pocket and a credit card knife in his wallet. The car was uninsured.

Morrell pleaded guilty to two charges of having knives in public and one of driving without insurance.

Magistrates sent the case to York Crown Court so he can be sentenced for all offences together.