A WOMAN turned up at a Musselburgh doctor’s surgery while carrying a knife.

Carol Hanson arrived at the town’s Eskbridge Medical Practice while in possession of the seven-inch blade but quickly disposed of it following a conversation with a doctor.

Hanson claimed that she was carrying the concealed weapon as she was in fear for her life due to local gangs.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard that Hanson had turned up at the medical centre on Inveresk Road at about 5.15pm on August 24 last year.

Hanson, 42, was in the surgery’s waiting room when Dr Ahmed called her.

During the subsequent chat, the medic was told by her patient that she was carrying a knife.

The doctor was asked to take the knife from Hanson but she refused to and it was disposed of in a nearby bin.

Police were called in to deal with the matter and the kitchen knife was soon found stashed away in the waste bin.

Hanson had left the area by this time but officers soon caught up with her and she admitted to the offence, claiming she “didn’t want to hurt anybody” and that she was carrying the weapon “for protection”.

Dr Ahmed told police that Hanson, of King Street, Musselburgh, had not been threatening towards her, surgery staff or fellow patients in any way.

Hanson’s solicitor said that she was in possession of the knife due to “individuals turning up [at her home] with baseball bats” and that she has had “previous issues with local gangs”.

Locals had turned against Hanson, the lawyer added, due to a drugs death at her home last year.

He added that Hanson had turned to crack cocaine and heroin as well as prescribed drugs to cope with the pressure and that she had not left her home for about six weeks as she was “scared to go out”.

Sheriff Peter McCormack deferred sentence on Hanson to next month for the preparation of reports and also asked for a drug treatment and testing order assessment to be carried out.

Hanson admitted possessing a knife at Eskbridge Medical Practice, Musselburgh, on August 24 last year.