A 12-year-old boy could be facing a jail term for carrying an eight-inch blade through the Stoke Newington streets.

The Gazette sat through proceedings at Highbury Corner Youth Court this morning when the boy – who cannot be named for legal reasons - was warned by the judge that “carrying a knife is a serious offence”.

But she conceded that rather than a custodial term, “because he is only 12 it may well be that it could be considered to be dealt with as a referral order through the youth offending team.”

The boy pleaded guilty to possession of a knife but sentencing has been adjourned until June, when he is due to appear in court charged with robbery.

A Hackney police officer posted a photo of the knife on Twitter last week, saying: “Called to a robbery in Southwold Road. Juvenile arrested with this on him. #knivestakelives.”

The cop added: “In our cells now. Just remanded in custody for his protection and that of the public.”

The prosecution lawyer said police had been called to the scene of a robbery on Thursday last week.

“There is a chase,” she said. “He has a bag and throws the rucksack. It [the knife] is inside the rucksack.”

The boy is on conditional bail and is forbidden to enter Lordship Lane or to meet up with a 15-year-old boy who – again – the Gazette cannot name for legal reasons.

The boy came to court with his mother and grandmother and the judge gave permission for two male mentors from an organisation that tries to steer youths away from crime to sit through the proceedings.

Police are encouraging people to surrender all knives through the Operation Sceptre amnesty, and a “knife bin” is currently stationed outside All Saint’s Church in Livermore Road, Haggerston.

Mothers who have lost children to knife crime marched from Islington to Hackney at the weekend saying “enough is enough”.

The death of 17-year-old Elijah Dornelly in Walthamstow that night brought the total to 11 people killed in London the space of a fortnight.