Penza, 2 February 2016. PenzaNews. The police seized three knives from Alexander Ushakov, who was arrested along with his father Yuri Ushakov, civil activist and expert on communal affairs, on Pobedy prospekt in Penza on January 26, said Police Lieutenant Alexei Utkin during the Leninsky city area court session on Tuesday, February 1.

© PenzaNewsBuy the photo

His statement was affirmed by intern Anastasiya Yaschenko, who had been patrolling the streets together with the police officer at that night.

“Three knives were seized from the son,” she said, adding that the two men were inspected in accordance with the instruction before being put to the patrol police car.

Oleg Lipatov, deputy chairman of the Leninsky city area court reviewing the case, pointed out a discrepancy in testimony: while the protocol says that both the father and the son Ushakov were swearing loudly and throwing their arms about, Anastasiya Yaschenko in her verbal statement noted that the two men attracted her attention as they were walking, supporting one another and swearing.

The judge asked her exactly when they were swinging their hands, to which the witness said it was before Alexei Utkin approached them.

In return, the judge said he was puzzled as to how they could be supporting one another and swinging their arms about at the same time, and noted that simply swinging hands cannot constitute the grounds for arrest.

“Swinging your arms is not banned by law,” he said.

Also, during her statement, Anastasiya Yaschenko claimed that Alexander Ushakov was more drunk than his father, and mostly remained silent.

After the man in question was asked why he needed the knives, he explained he kept them on person for self-defense, and added that two of them are pen knives that are not legally considered melee weapons.

The judge Oleg Lipatov explained he was simply asking for the reason why Alexander Ushakov needed three knives.

In turn, he replied he is making a collection of knives.