A TEENAGER who was carrying a 6inch knife at school has been found not guilty of intentionally carrying the weapon.

The 17-year-old, who can not be named for legal reasons, appeared at Chester and Ellesmere Port Magistrates Court on Monday charged with possession of a bladed article on the grounds of Bishop Heber High School, Chester Road, Malpas.

Beverly Dobson, prosecuting, told the court how Bishop Heber headteacher David Curry received information about a pupil being in possession of a knife on Tuesday, June 22.

Mr Curry said the pupil explained he had been canal fishing the night before whilst wearing the same clothes and had not realised the knife was still in his pocket until about 15 minutes earlier when he got some headphones from the same pocket.

He claimed the wire from the headphones had become tangled in the blade of the lock knife – which he used to cut fishing wire and help out on his family’s farm – and he had to open it ‘2 to 3mm’ to release it.

The boy told his headteacher that his intention was to keep it in his pocket and take it home that evening, fearing that he would get into trouble if he admitted his mistake and said he had not threatened anyone with it.

Mr Curry called the police station for advice and officers arrived shortly after to arrest the pupil.

The teenager, who has now left the school, said he had stayed at a friend’s house the night before without a change of clothes and after waking late had quickly got dressed and not checked the pocket the knife was in.

Magistrates found the youth not guilty.