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A judge was yesterday forced to defend himself in court after showing his own pocket knife to a teenager accused of a stabbing.

Judge Roger Connor told the 16-year-old at Oxford Crown Court he had a pocket knife too and pulled it out to demonstrate how it opened.

The teenager, who denies wounding with intent, claims he used a folding knife in self-defence. He told the court he had only needed one hand to open the knife during the incident in Watlington last August.

Producing his own knife, Judge Connor said: "It just so happens I have a folding pocket knife in my pocket. You need two hands to open it don't you?"

When asked by John Simmons, defending, whether carrying the knife was an offence, Judge Connor replied that it was a perfectly legal implement.

Possessing knives in public without good reason is illegal, with the exception of folding pocket knives with blades no more than three inches long.

8:23am Thursday 24th July 2008

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