A 36-year-old accused of assaulting a man with a knife has been allowed to change his plea to deny the offence.

Jody Emerton, of High Street, Cricklade, pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm and having a bladed article when he appeared before a judge in December last year.

But he told the court that he had been hurried into making the decision to admit the allegations and had been ‘confused and scared’.

Emerton told a hearing at Swindon Crown Court that he was worried he would get a much longer sentence if he was convicted following a trial.

He said he only had a few minutes with a solicitor before the case was called into court and decided to say he was guilty, even though he maintained he was not.

The application to abandon the guilty pleas was made after he told the probation service he did not have a knife at the time of the alleged offence.

Rob Ross, defending, pointed out that he gave a similar account when he was arrested and questioned by the police.

Recorder Michael Fitton QC allowed him to change his pleas but warned him that a jury could be told of the fact he had initially pleaded guilty at a future trial.

Emerton pleaded not guilty to offences of causing actual bodily harm and having a bladed article in public.

It is alleged he assaulted David Buchanan on June 26 last year, and had the knife on Lady Mead, Cricklade, on the same day. The case was adjourned to April 15 when a date for trial will be fixed.