Full time carer Rodney Knowles kept the knife in his glove compartment of his vehicle.
The 61-year-old, who walks with the aid of a stick, was stopped by police on suspicion of drink driving - he was below the legal limit - but officers found the knife in a pouch in the car's glove box.

Knowles, from Buckland, Newton Abbot, Devon, said:"It's a stupid law. Now I have a criminal record."

The retired maintenance engineer, who has no previous convictions, said:"It was in my glove box in a pouch, along with a torch, first aid kit and waterproofs."

I was chatting to someone earlier today about how common it used to be for everyone to carry a knife on them. The Police, CPS and Judge should be ashamed of themselves.

Having just re-read the article and realising he's a caravanner. Lock him up and throw away the key.

Ridiculous, there's nothing wrong with the law just peoples common sense. Every time I go to work I carry a knife and I use it 5+ times each day, it would be impossible to open boxes without it the amount of tape and plastic strapping they use. It just has to be the right kind of knife, I would carry around a 6 inch flick knife, but a pen knife? Come on.

Welcome to Britain.

Every idiot Daily Mail reader called for mandatory sentences when people are caught with knives. This is the inevitable result. No doubt they'll be outraged about this too - this is why interpreting the law should be left to judges, not politicians or the general public.

Penknife and torch. That is also "going equipped" for burglary. This man needs to be locked up.