A DRIVER has been sentenced for two motoring offences and possession of an "offensive weapon".

Phillip Kovacs, 18, a resident of St Helens, was pulled over on Froghall Lane in Warrington by police on October 12.

Angela Blackmore, prosecuting in Warrington Magistrates' Court, told the court how Kovacs was pulled over and discovered to not be in possession of a full licence.

The vehicle was also not insured.

After a search of the vehicle, police also discovered a knuckleduster in the central console.

Ms Blackmore told the court that upon his arrest Kovacs had told police he “didn’t know it was illegal as you could buy them online” and it had been purchased “to protect himself”.

She also reiterated that police believed he had “no intentions to use them maliciously”.

Kovacs, who was not being represented by a solicitor and pleaded guilty to all three charges, told the court that he 'wanted to apologise, as he did not know it was illegal' to be in possession of the knuckledusters in a public place.

District Judge John McGarva, who was presiding over the case, decided to give Kovacs a 12-month community order for possession of the knuckledusters. This will comprise of 20 days of rehabilitation, and 80 hours of unpaid work.

As well as this, he was given six points on his licence. Whilst his licence is still provisional, the six points takes him to 12 overall, meaning he has been banned for a period of six months from driving.