Boxer Kevin Mitchell caught with knife

Boxer Kevin Mitchell has escaped jail after being caught with a butterfly knife in his silver BMW.

The 27-year-old lightweight was stopped by police carrying out checks in Ballard’s Road, Dagenham, just as he left the house on his way to a training session, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.

He told police he had just realised there was a knife in the car and the weapon did not belong to him, and he had no idea how it got into the car, but was convicted after a trial.

The judge, Miss Recorder Grace Amakye let off the rising star with a short community sentence after hearing a heavier sentence could destroy the rising sports star’s career.

“You ought to have reversed back up to your home and left the knife in a secure place, rather than taking the risk of continuing on your journey, hopefully to get to your training session without recrimination from your trainer,” she said.

“I cannot however, in passing sentence, disregard the incidence of possession of a knife of this nature and also the tragic consequences when people have such knives in their possession, albeit for reasons I have outlined, the prosecution accept it was never in your possession with an intention of having it to use it,” she said.

Mitchell, of Whitebarn Lane, Dagenham, was given a six-month community order, during which time he must complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

He was also subject to a three month curfew between 9pm and 7am, and ordered to pay a �250 contribution towards the prosecution’s costs at a rate of �50 per month.