A TEENAGER who thought it was “cool” to carry a weapon has been jailed for six months.

Dean McAllister, 19, of Northcourt Walk, Abingdon, appeared at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday after admitting one count of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place on May 10.

Prosecutor Robert Lindsey said police officers were told McAllister was at a Chinese restaurant in Oxford Road, Abingdon, with an extendable baton.

He said the defendant “made off” down Boxhill Road, hiding from officers in the street, but was then spotted in Oxford Road where police chased him.

Mr Lindsey said officers managed to stop McAllister about 50ft from the junction of Oxford Road and Boxhill Road.

The prosecutor said a forensic examination showed McAllister’s DNA was the “main contributor” found on the baton.

He said in a interview with police on May 15, the defendant admitted he bought the baton for £20 from a friend about 45 minutes before he was arrested.

Mr Lindsey said McAllister told officers he did not intend to use the baton but thought it was “cool”.

He said at the time of his arrest, the defendant was in breach of a suspended sentence order handed to him in March, and had only completed eight of the 100 hours of unpaid work he had been ordered to carry out.

Defence barrister Silpa Mistry said McAllister, who is unemployed, accepted “the seriousness of his position” and had not made any excuses for his actions.

Jailing McAllister, Judge Ian Pringle also ordered him to pay £180 court costs and a victim surcharge. He told the defendant: “You have come across the courts enough times to know that that was a criminal offence and that’s why you tried to hide and get rid of it [the baton].”

He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the baton.