A 27-year-old father from Shoreham was caught holding an 8in kitchen knife as he looked for a man he said assaulted him.

Simon Weston, of Surrey Street, who has a seven-day-old baby, admitted possessing an offensive weapon and was given a 12-month community rehabilitation order.

Claire Ellis, prosecuting at Worthing Magistrates' Court yesterday, said: "On October 11, just before midnight, police attended Shoreham railway station following reports of two males brandishing knives.

"The officers saw the defendant and a youth at the station. They saw a shiny article, believed to be a knife, and told Weston to drop it on the floor.

"Weston dropped an 8in black handled kitchen knife and police told them both to lie on the ground."

Weston was arrested and told police in an interview he had been assaulted earlier in the evening. He said he had picked up the kitchen knife and gone looking for the man.

In mitigation, Mark Rogers produced two character references from Weston's employer and the Fresh Start offenders' scheme.

Weston must serve a four-month curfew order so he is at home between 7pm and 5.30am every day.