A north-east man could be facing jail after he was caught carrying a knife in a handbag while dressed in drag.
Musa Deria appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday and admitted being in possession of the offensive weapon on July 9 last year.
The 43-year-old had been spotted by a member of staff outside a shop on the city’s Hutcheon Street dressed “head to toe” in woman’s clothing and holding a kitchen knife.
The court heard Deria, whose address was listed as 23 Jamaica Street, had been using a handbag to store the blade, which he had taken with him “for protection”.
Fiscal depute Anne MacDonald said the shop worker had been alerted to Deria after hearing a “girl”, who was close to him, saying “keep that knife away from me”.
Staff at the store then called the police.
The court heard Deria then went into the shop – still holding the knife – where he told staff that they should not have phoned the emergency services.
Miss MacDonald said he then left the store, leaving a member of staff “worried about what would happen”.
When police arrived at around 2.40am they approached Deria who was seen throwing the knife away.
Officers then arrested the cross-dresser on the nearby Fraser Road, and took him to the Kittybrewster police office.
Representing the repeat offender, solicitor Liam McAllister said his client accepted there was “no excuse” for his actions, and said he could not justify carrying the blade.
However, he said his client had been approached by men whilst wearing women’s clothes and he felt he should take a knife with him in his handbag “for protection”.
Mr McAllister said his client had also struggled with mental health issues and drug abuse in the past.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan deferred sentence on Deria for background reports to be carried out into his character.
However, he was warned all sentencing options remained open to him.
