A woman flashed a knife at a stranger as she got off a train and claimed she had the weapon for protection as she travelled home alone at night.

Jessica Forbes walked up to the man, who turned out to be a security guard, and revealed an eight-inch kitchen knife as they both got off at Folkestone Central railway station.

Forbes had been travelling towards her home in Folkestone when the other passenger noticed her in the same carriage seemingly talking to herself.

As he alighted, Forbes, 32, walked up to him on the platform, flashed the blade and said: “Look what I’ve got for protection when I ride trains late at night.”

Initially, the man failed to realise what he was being shown and politely replied, “cool”, but as soon as he did, he grabbed her hand and knocked the knife to the ground.

The incident, which happened on October 22, was later reported to police and during an interview, Forbes changed her story and told officers she took the knife from a friend’s home after an argument with her partner.

She was later charged with possession of a bladed article and pleaded guilty to the offence when she appeared at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on July 31.

During the court hearing, Victoria Aked, prosecuting said: “A security guard was onboard the 22.46pm service to Dover Priory and the train had reached Ashford International when he noticed a woman taking screenshots who seemed to be talking to herself.

“When the train reached Folkestone Central, he got up to get off and so did she and as he walked away from the train she started walking towards him and approached him.

“She said: ‘Look what I’ve got for protection when I ride trains late at night’, he then replied, ‘cool’, but then he clicked and grabbed her arm as she grabbed the knife and there was a verbal confrontation and the knife fell to the floor.

“It’s a kitchen knife and is eight inches in length.”

The court also heard Forbes had not been in trouble with the law since 2009.

James Langridge, mitigating, said his client was a victim of domestic violence and was somewhat emotionally unstable and suggested a full pre-sentencing report would help before she was sentenced to find out a bit more about her circumstances and what led her to commit the offence.

Deputy District Judge Claire Luxford agreed and ordered an all-options report to be carried out on Forbes before she hears her fate.

She was granted bail until then and will be sentenced at the same court on the morning of October 2.