Star's trial told martial arts weapon 'lethal'

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how even an untrained person could cause severe injury with a kubotan.

The evidence was heard yesterday as the trial of 41-year-old stage star Day, over claims he was in possession of an offensive weapon, got under way.

The actor and singer, of Cudworth, South Yorkshire, is accused of having a kubotan in a public place in Edinburgh "without lawful authority or reasonable excuse" in December last year. He denies the charge.

The first witness called by the Crown was Pc Liam Fitzpatrick, a lead trainer in officer safety with Lothian and Borders Police, said he had more than 30 years of experience in martial arts.

Pc Fitzpatrick, 46, described a kubotan he was shown as seven to eight inches long. It would normally fit into a hand.

He said the kubotan was designed in the early 1970s and was first used for "close impact control" by Los Angeles police.

During the 1980s it was marketed as a self-defence tool and could be sold openly to members of the public.

Asked what the tool could do in trained hands, Mr Fitzpatrick replied: "Worst-case scenario, I could kill someone with that."

He said it was more difficult to say what an untrained person could do with it but it could cause severe injury.

The case continues on April 7.