There's a huge difference between the two. In hand-to-hand combat it's pretty hard to stab someone facing you when they are armed with a crowbar (or even another knife). Each of you will probably get hurt and if you're more skilled you may win, but you'll probably still go to the hospital.
But I guess this judge thinks it's cowardly to stab someone that is armed with a crowbar in the back just to protect your family and property. Oh well, just one more place I won't ever visit.
Seems to me that if an unskilled person is grappling with an opponent and they are clinched, the stab wounds would likely to be to the opponent's back.