THE mother of an 11-year-old Selby boy accused of stabbing a police officer has spoken of her relief at his acquittal.

Selby magistrates found the boy not guilty of wounding PC Rodney Bloxham with a six-inch kitchen knife.

His mother told the Evening Press of the prejudice he has suffered since the allegations.

She said: "This has been hanging over his head since last July and he was initially excluded from school.

"He's only 11 years old and he's got his whole life ahead of him - we are just glad that it's all over."

Magistrate Sheila Bruce said the bench heard no evidence that the boy actually caused an injury to PC Bloxham on July 4.

She said although the boy admitted throwing a knife the prosecution's version of events did not add up.

Furthermore, a witness did not see anyone threaten or make use of the knife and it was never recovered.

PC Bloxham suffered a 4cm wide, 6cm deep stab wound to his back while attending a domestic disturbance at a barbecue at the family's Selby home.

The prosecution alleged that the 11-year-old had fetched the white- handled kitchen knife while his mother was being arrested by PC Bloxham beside the house.

He had then thrown the knife up in the air, causing the injury which PC Bloxham only discovered some time later.

PC Bloxham said he felt an "almighty blow" and thought he had been hit with a brick.

But magistrates said considerable force would have to have been used to penetrate the policeman's utility belt and cause the deep, upward injury.

Sandra Keen, defending, said nobody was questioning that PC Bloxham received a very unpleasant injury.

But, she said, nobody saw the knife at the incident and the prosecution seem to suggest that it disappeared.

She told magistrates: "This is not a case where you can be sure and to convict (the boy) you would have to be sure."

Updated: 10:12 Tuesday, January 22, 2002