Day guilty of offensive weapon charge

TV star Darren Day has been found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon.

The 41-year-old former You Bet! host said that he was not aware that the keyring, which he claims to have owned for 14 years, was considered a weapon. He said that the 5in long metal kubotan keyring was given to him by a friend.

Day previously admitted to a drink-driving charge, which occurred on the same night in December 2009. He has been banned from driving for five years and fined £1,250 for the offence.

The keyring was found when he was arrested by Lothian and Borders police after his Mercedes hit a lamppost in Manor Place in Edinburgh. Day admitted the amount of alcohol in his breath at the time of the accident was 23mg over the legal limit. He was previously given an 18-month disqualification for drink-driving in Cardiff in 2008.

His defence agent Bobby Frazer told Edinburgh Sheriff Court: "I understand he was recognised after parking his car and there was not an altercation but some words were expressed towards him and as a result of that I understand he had three Jack Daniels.

"On leaving the establishment he was concerned he would not be able to get a taxi and did not want to walk back because he was concerned there might be another incident."

Sheriff William Holligan admonished Day on the weapon charge due to the "particular facts and circumstances", reports the BBC.

Speaking outside the court yesterday, the entertainer said: "I'm very relieved it's over. I am deeply sorry and ashamed of what's happened, especially for my family. I'm just very keen to move on now with my career and my life and leave it behind me."

The court accepted Day's not guilty pleas to careless driving, crashing into a lamppost, failing to report an accident to police and not co-operating with an initial breath test.