AN ATTACK victim armed himself with knives because he was fearful of further violence against him a court was told.

John Overton was arrested at Huddersfield Job Centre on November 3.

Police were called to the High Street building after a staff member saw the 40-year-old with a Butterfly knife.

They found another knife on him together with a block of cannabis resin.

Huddersfield magistrates were told yesterday that Overton had been brutally attacked a year previously and had armed himself in case of further incidents.

Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, said police attended the Job Centre at 11.20am.

She said: “He had been seen talking to a male and with a knife.

“He spoke to one of the staff from the Job Centre and they called police because of what he told them.”

Overton, of no fixed address, told officers that he had two Butterfly knifes – a folding pocket knife.

He was also found with a small quantity of the class B drug, which he said was for pain relief.