Kickboxer tried to smuggle weapons from the USA

Thomas Simpson’s plans were foiled by the Royal Mail, which intercepted his illegal parcel at a Heathrow parcels depot, said Stephen Thornton, prosecuting.

It was addressed to him at a business address in Green Lane, Clifton, and the customs’ declaration form claimed it contained a paperweight.

Simpson, 26, lives in Cemetery Road in York and when police raided his home, they found other lock knives and imitation firearms.

Thai kickboxer Simpson pleaded guilty to two offences of importing prohibited goods – two lock knives and three knuckledusters. He faced no charges for the weapons found at his home.

He has previous convictions for violence “It doesn’t appear to have sunk in that you behave in an anti-ocial way,” Recorder James Baird told Simpson.

He gave Simpson a six-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, on condition he does 150 hours’ unpaid work and observes a three-month nightly curfew between 7pm and 5am.

He must also pay £200 prosecution costs and an £80 statutory surcharge. The curfew doesn’t apply on December 6, when Simpson claims he has a contract to take part in a kickboxing bout on television.

Defence solicitor Kevin Blount said the lock knives were only intended to be used in country sports and he had intended to give one of the knuckledusters to his girlfriend as a joke.

He had initially intended to buy only the knives, he said but added the knuckledusters because the website for the knives offered them at a cheap price.

“There is no suggestion they would have been used in any dangerous situation,” said Mr Blount. Simpson had no previous convictions involving weapons.

He was not responsible for the “paperweight” designation on the parcel as the packaging had been done by the Delaware company that sold the weapons.

Simpson was in training for the television bout, including daily early morning runs, regular trips to a gym and kick boxing sessions, said his solicitor.