A Croydon shopkeeper who sold knives to schoolchildren narrowly escaped jail after being warned of the consequences of knife crime.

Raymond Morris, 56, admitted he knew he wasn't allowed to sell knives to under 18s but still sold several ultra-sharp craft blades to school children, on two separate occasions.

Morris worked in the discount store, owned by Mr Ram Vijay, 53, on a casual basis and received verbal training on knife and alcohol sales.

Sentencing, District Judge Julie Cooper said: "The consequences of knife crime is in front of us daily. He was aware he shouldn't be selling knives to under 18s.

"The news is always flashing on TV.

"I will consider a custodial sentence because I have to look at this in the current climate of knife crime."

But the Judge, at Croydon Magistrates' Court, ended up handing him a four-month suspended sentence, telling him: "In the light of the current climate, this is a serious matter of custodial sentence.

"I am giving you four months suspended for a period of 12 months."

Morris was also ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work and attend Think First sessions and rehabilitation classes to improve his understanding of knife crime and its consequences.

He was charged with selling "to a person under the age of 18 years, an article, namely 13 piece knife set, which had a blade or was sharply pointed and which was made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person."

Croydon Magistrates' Court heard how Morris sold the knife set containing 10 blades and three handles to a 14 year old girl in a council sting.

And a few months earlier, two 13 year olds in school uniform were seen leaving the shop with several blades after being served by him.

He even joked to an undercover council trading standards officer in the queue that he could be the girl's 'father' as he sold her the £5.99 kit.

The dad-of-one worked as a casual shop assistant at Gift Bank, a discount store in Croydon, south London, after moving from rural Shropshire two years ago.

Prosecutor Mary Slattery said: "On the 15th September a volunteer test purchaser aged 14 was instructed to attempt to purchase a small craft knife from the premises."

Morris picked out the 13 piece knife set priced at £5.99 and asked the 14-year-old what it was needed for.

The teenager said they were for a "school project" and Morris made a joke by pretending the man standing behind her in the queue was her dad.

Ms Slattery said: "He looked towards the officer then made the comment to the test purchaser 'he can be your dad for now'."

But the former farmer who moved to New Addington, south London, from rural Shropshire said he didn't think selling knife sets to minors was "an issue" - because everyone carries pocket knives in Shropshire.

Defending, Chris Judson said: "There is a huge amount of naivety.

"Mr Morris lived in rural Shropshire where he worked all of his life on a dairy farm before moving to the city. He comes from a place where people carry pocket knives often.

"She looked like a sweet and innocent girl and he genuinely believed her when she said it was for a school project.

"He came from a place where people trust people. If she looked like she was from the local gang, he wouldn't have sold her it."

The court heard Morris moved to south London with his seven-year-old son two years ago and had since been struggling to get full time work.

Mr Judson said the father was due to start a new job in six weeks time and relied heavily on universal credit.

Judge Cooper said she considered imprisonment but instead handed Morris a suspended sentence - on the condition he completes a series of community orders.

He was given a four month suspended sentence and charged £315 in legal costs and victim surcharge - a reduction from £900.

ENDS