Worksop teen with 12-inch kitchen knife risked six month prison sentence

Kyle Ward told police officers about the weapon when they questioned him for a different matter on April 24, Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard,

Nicole Baughan, prosecuting, said Ward told them he was carrying the blade “for protection after receiving threats the previous week”.

Magistrates heard he has four previous convictions for four offences and was dealt with for a similar offence seven months earlier.

The new offence puts him in breach of a conditonal discharge and triggers the prospect of an automatic six-month prison sentence.

Ward, aged 18, of Overend Road, Worksop, admitted possession of a knife.

Morgan Hogarth, mitigating, said there were “exceptional circumstances”, detailed in a probation report, about the nature of Ward’s upbringing.

Mr Hogarth said: “He is now been stable for five months in a single place and his behaviour has improved.

“The knife wasn’t produced, no threats were made and he was fully cooperative.

“It would be an incredibly retrograde step to impost custody.”

Sentencing, after reading the probation report, magistrates said: “I have never seen circumstances like that that allow us to move away from our guidelines and sending you to custody.”

But he warned him: “This is your last chance saloon. There can't be any more offences.”

Ward was given a 146-day jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 30 rehabilitation days and a five-month curfew, from 8pm to 6am. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £154 surcharge.