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.

Overton told police that he had been in the centre to get some paperwork.

He said he had been badly attacked previously with hammers and knives.

Overton claimed he had armed himself for his trip into town and believed he had seen one of the males responsible for the attack.

He pleaded guilty to having two offensive weapons in a public place and drug possession.

Andrew Sugden, defending, said that Overton felt stupid about the offences but had hit rock bottom.

He said: “He’s very unsettled now because of the way his life is moving forward following the attack last year on himself and his girlfriend.

“He does need assistance to get over these issues.”

Mr Sugden added that his client had the knives from his previous trade working in the bicycle industry.

He said: “He did not appreciate that having these knives on him, to be used in defensive purposes, was wrong.

“He’s very sorry about what happened. If he is fearful that people are going to attack him he knows that he should seek other assistance and not take the law into his own hands.”

Magistrates gave Overton a community order for six months and ordered him to pay £85 costs.

They also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the knives and cannabis.