A MAN with a "long criminal record" was 'stupidly' caught with a knife inside Ayr Sheriff Court which he claimed he had been using for gardening the previous day.

Kris Murdoch has been jailed after pleading guilty to having an article that was bladed or sharply pointed, namely a knife, while in the courthouse in the town's Wellington Square on July 25 this year.

The 42-year-old also admitted a charge of possessing class A diamorphine when searched by police after appearing in court on other matters.

Procurator fiscal depute Craig Wainwright told a hearing: "Officers were tasked with locating the accused. They were aware that he was attending Ayr Sheriff Court.

"At 11.30am they waited while the accused was in court one on another matter. It was busy with members of the public, police and court employees.

"Officers arrested him on the other matter and during a search recovered a knife in his left jacket pocket. It was six inches long with a three inch blade and he said it was 'used for fishing'.

"They found a tinfoil wrap and he said 'it's heroin', which was 0.5 grams of diamorphine.

"He was taken to Kilmarnock police office and processed in the usual manner."

Mr Wainwright handed Sheriff Shirley Foran the fixed blade knife to inspect on the bench.

Defence solicitor John Gallagher said his client was previously caught with a pair of scissors in a shop, used to 'remove tags'.

He said: "He accepts given the nature of the offence and particular locus that the matter will result in a sentence of imprisonment. 

"He was attending court on this date for a summary deferred sentence for good behaviour. He was running late and in his haste getting ready [wore the jacket with the knife].

"The previous day he was doing gardening tasks and the item was used to free the strimmer after it became jammed. Fishing is what the item was purchased for. He had it in his jacket the previous day.

"He was aware officers wanted to speak to him - he waited an hour and a half for his own case to call, if he had remembered he could have easily have disposed of it in some fashion.

"It's more stupidity."

Sheriff Shirley Foran said: "Mr Murdoch you have a long record of committing non-analagous criminal offences.

"Regarding the nature of the offence and the particular location a custodial sentence is inevitable."

Murdoch was jailed for 12 months - reduced from 18 - backdated to July 26.

He was admonished for the drug offence before returning to custody.