Knuckleduster seized after officers follow their instincts – and their noses

A response team’s sense of smell inadvertently led to them discovering a knuckleduster inside a car.

The officers were driving along Hartley Road, Radford, when they noticed a strong aroma as another car passed by.

After suspecting the smell was cannabis and that it was coming from within the car, officers followed the vehicle for a short while and then pulled it over in Faraday Road, Lenton.

Following that stop at around 12.50am on Monday (31 July), police suspected the woman driving the car could be under the influence of drugs, so carried out a roadside drugs wipe, which tested positive for cannabis.

A search was also carried out of the vehicle by police, which led to a knuckleduster being discovered in the footwell of the car and subsequently seized.

Three people – a 34-year-old woman and two men, aged 29 and 30 – were all arrested on suspicion of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

The woman was also arrested on suspicion of drug-driving.

After bringing the suspects into custody, a police officer was assaulted – causing injuries to their shoulder – while damage was caused to the inside of the Nottingham Custody Suite building.

The 29-year-old man detained earlier during the car stop was then additionally arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker and causing criminal damage.

Sergeant Dan Buckle, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “This was a great example of the alertness of our officers who, in this case, managed to uncover multiple offences after literally following their noses.

“After smelling cannabis coming out of a passing car, the team’s instincts kicked in and they made the decision to pull the vehicle over after suspecting wrongdoing.

“As a direct result of this decision, they were ultimately able to detain a suspected drug-driver and also seize a knuckleduster that was found inside the car.

“There is absolutely no excuse for anyone to have this type of offensive weapon in their possession – in fact, it is now illegal for anyone to even keep a knuckleduster at home or in a private place anywhere within the UK.   

“It should go without saying, but it is also completely unacceptable for anyone to assault a police officer or other emergency worker. This is not okay and should never be considered as just part of the job.”