NEW sentencing guidelines on knife crime has seen a St Helens man jailed after he was found guilty of two consecutive offences.

Gary Catterall, 38, from Wasdale Avenue in Clinkham Wood had been due before magistrates in St Helens on September 1 to be sentenced for carrying a knife following an incident in April.

He pleaded not guilty but failed to turn up for his trial. However on August 24 he was arrested for another knife offence and carrying crack cocaine.

Catterall appeared back before magistrates on August 25 and was sentenced for both offences. He was sentenced to 21 weeks in prison which included a 20 per cent discount after pleading guilty.

The new rules, which were introduced in July, state there should be a minimum sentence of six months in jail if a person is found guilty of two offences of carrying a knife.

Associate prosecutor Andrew Page explained: "This is a very new legislation which should send out a message that there will be no lenient sentences for knife crime. People who persistently carry knives can expect immediate custodial sentences."