A man armed with scissors who claimed to use them to cut his beard was jailed today for 15 months.

Abdelkader Alswal, 50, was snared on Oswald Street in Glasgow city centre in February this year.

A member of the public made police officers aware of Alswal at 8.45am which prompted a search.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard officers recovered “red handled domestic scissors” from his jacket pocket.

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The “four to six inch” item was seized and Alswal was arrested and kept in custody.

The Libyan asylum seeker pleaded guilty today to the unlawful possession of scissors in a public place.

Sinead Corrigan, defending, told the court Alswal was living in Glasgow for two years and is homeless.

She added: “At the time he was stopped by police, he told them that he would use the scissors to trim his beard.

“This plea was tendered in that he can’t be wandering about the city centre with a pair of scissors in his possession.

“He had been sleeping rough and walking about the city centre with the little possessions he owns.”

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The hearing was told Alswal was jailed for 10 months last year for a similar offence involving a sharp object.

Sheriff Johanna Johnston said: “You have a bad record for carrying knives and sharp objects.

“It is a crime to have a sharp pointed object as it’s dangerous to the public.

“You have broken the law many times for that type of offence, I am going to send you to prison.”