Court Decides That Furious Soham Man Can Keep His Garden Fork and Knife

MAGISTRATES have decided not to confiscate the garden fork and knife produced by furious Fred Samuel when he turned up at the scene of a fracas on a football field at Soham Village College. We appreciate this was a spur of the moment offence, and the ite

MAGISTRATES have decided not to confiscate the garden fork and knife produced by furious Fred Samuel when he turned up at the scene of a fracas on a football field at Soham Village College.

"We appreciate this was a spur of the moment offence, and the items are needed in the course of your work," presiding magistrate Janet South told Samuel this week when he appeared in court for sentencing.

"But in future you must keep them where they should be, in your vehicle."

Samuel, 26, of Queensway, Soham, had earlier admitted possessing an offensive weapon, possessing a bladed article, and using threatening behaviour during the incident on July 3.

He was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and pay �60 costs.

The court had previously been told that Samuel brandished a garden fork and then produced a knife. He had arrived at the field in his 4x4 vehicle, because he had been told that a teenage boy had been assaulted.

Solicitor Lowri Roberts had said that Samuel worked as a horticultural groundsman at a stud farm, and both the fork and knife were used in the course of his job.