Teen sentenced after kneeing police officer in groin in Peterborough
A search of the boy uncovered class A drugs and a four-inch knife
A teenage drug dealer assaulted a police officer before being found with a knife hidden in his trousers.
The 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was passenger in a car that was pulled over by neighbourhood policing officers as part of a routine traffic stop in Eastern Avenue, Dogsthorpe, on 5 April.
On speaking with the occupants, officers could see a large amount of cash in the car’s centre console and a check on the Police National Computer (PNC) showed the vehicle was potentially linked to drug supply in the area, resulting in them both being detained for a search.
The officers believed the pair were both concealing items in their trousers, therefore informed them they would both be taken to a police station to be strip-searched.
While waiting for a police van to transport the boy to custody, he kneed the officer in the groin, resulting in him being arrested for assaulting an emergency worker.
A search of the boy in custody uncovered a package containing a large amount of class A drug wraps hidden in his trousers, as well as a four-inch locking knife clipped to the inside of his waistband.
A subsequent search of his home was carried out, where officers found an adapted weapon consisting of a wooden banister pole with a razor blade attached to the top.
A download of his mobile phone showed evidence of the boy being involved in the running of a drugs line in Peterborough.
The driver, an 18-year-old man, was also arrested in connection with drug offences but released under investigation while further enquiries are carried out.
The boy was charged with possession with intent to supply heroin and crack cocaine, possession of a knife in a public place, possession of an offensive weapon, and assault by beating of an emergency worker, all of which he admitted at Huntingdon Youth Court last month (April).
He appeared at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (29 May) where he was sentenced to an 18-month Youth Referral Order – the first community sentence given to most first-time young offenders, requiring them to attend a youth offender panel made up of two members of the local community and an advisor from a youth offending team, where they will agree a contract of certain commitments.
The conditions of his order consist of:
- 10 days thinking and behaviour requirement
- 15 days of positive and constructive activities
- 18-month supervision requirement
- Six-month prohibitive requirement (no contact with a named individual and to not be in the community with more than one mobile phone or £50 in cash)
- Four-month electronically monitored curfew between 9pm and 8am, including exclusion zone
- He must also pay £100 in compensation to the police officer he assaulted.
Detective Constable Dylan Lenton, who investigated, said: “The assault on the officer came out of nowhere, with the boy being completely calm and waiting to be taken into custody for a further search.
“To be involved in this type of criminality at such a young age, and to then assault a police officer and show no remorse or regard for his actions is worrying. He will now be closely monitored and given the opportunity to change his life around, which I sincerely hope he does.”