man in his leg with a three-inch blade.

Wilfred Degraff, of Hamilton Parish, said he only retaliated after Keith Williams slashed him in the face with a bottle.

Degraff, who was charged with being in possession of the offensive weapon, pleaded guilty to the April 18 offence.

"Police have taken a very lenient view with you,'' said Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis. "You could've been charged with wounding, a number of things. All you were charged with is possession of the knife.'' Sgt. Wilbert McLean, prosecuting, said officers attended the Anchorage Bar in Devonshire in response to a complaint of a fight.

Upon arrival, the officers saw the fight had ended. They met with an employee of the bar who handed them a knife with blood on it.

Sgt. McLean said the employee then took the officers inside and pointed out Degraff to them.

Degraff had several cuts to his left cheek and was being tended to by members of the bar.

He told the officers the knife was his and admitted using it in the fight.

"But he slashed me in the face with a bottle first,'' he said.

Degraff was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital where Williams, the other party in the fight was being treated for stab wounds to his upper thigh.

Degraff explained to the officers he had become involved in the fight and as it progressed, he lost his temper.

Sgt. McLean said Degraff is already on a two-year probation order. "This is obviously a very nasty and dangerous incident,'' Mr. Francis said.

He released Degraff on $300 bail and a like surety and ordered him to return to court on May 29.