A Norfolk teenager was yesterday warned he faced going to prison after having a 14-inch hunting knife on school grounds.David Edgar, 18, of Hall Orchards, Middleton, appeared before King's Lynn magistrates yesterday and pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of an offensive weapon.

A Norfolk teenager was yesterday warned he faced going to prison after having a 14-inch hunting knife on school grounds.

David Edgar, 18, of Hall Orchards, Middleton, appeared before King's Lynn magistrates yesterday and pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of an offensive weapon.

Edgar was found with the knife in the glove box of his car after going to the visitors' car park at Springwood High School, Lynn, on October 4 to meet some friends.

Prosecutor Judith Piggin told the court that the school had been having problems with groups of youths hanging around outside the school in their vehicles in the visitors' car park. Staff had been contacting the police to have the offenders moved on.

On this occasion officers had been called and they searched Edgar's car where they discovered the knife with an eight-inch serrated blade in the glove box.

Mrs Piggin said the aggravating factors of the case were that the knife was a dangerous weapon and that Edgar was found with it in a public place, which was a school at lunchtime.

Andrew Spence, for Edgar, said he only put the knife in his car because he had recently moved in with girlfriend and she would not allow him to take it in the house. Mr Spence said Edgar said he had only bought the out of curiosity and as a “decorative” item.

He had kept it at his mother's home, but when he moved in with his girlfriend she told him she did not want it in the house and that's why he had kept it in the glove compartment.

But magistrate Peter Hammond told Edgar: “The view is this was such an unpleasant weapon on school premises that the custody threshold has been breached.”

He ordered that a pre-sentence report be carried out and warned Edgar they would be looking at a custodial sentence.

Speaking after the case, Insp Colin Williamson said: “It is unbelievable that someone thought it was okay to be carrying this weapon with them, particularly so close to a school.

“We will do everything in our power to arrest people who carry such knives.

“If you are thinking of carrying a knife or other offensive weapon with you then think again, because you will be arrested and brought before the courts.”

The case was adjourned until November 3.

Edgar was given unconditional bail.