Teenager caught carrying weapon sentenced at court

The 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested by the Wisbech Neighbourhood Policing Team on 12 May this year after CCTV operators thought they saw someone with a knife in Wisbech town park.

He was seen on camera to run up behind a young couple and threaten them with the weapon which was later found to be a screwdriver.

The teen was arrested and later charged with being in possession of an offensive weapon in a public place as well as using threatening behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

In interview, he told officers he was carrying the weapon ‘for his own safety’.

On Wednesday, 21 July, he appeared at Peterborough Youth Court after having admitted the offences and was made subject of a 12-month criminal behaviour order (CBO).

The CBO states he must not enter Wisbech town park or associate with more than two people unless for education purposes, employment, with members of his family or when attending positive supervised activities.

He has also been made subject of a 12-month youth rehabilitation order, 12-month supervision requirement and a reparation order.

Sergeant David Arnold, from the Wisbech Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This was a good spot by CCTV operators who were able to alert us of the incident, enabling us to intervene before anyone was potentially injured.

“This individual has been at the route of some anti-social behaviour in the town therefore my team has worked hard to build a case for an application to the courts to impose a criminal behaviour order on him which we hope will have a positive effect and we start to see some change.

“As part of the CBO, he will be encouraged to work with police and partner agencies to help divert his behaviour and look at ways of rehabilitating him. The order, whilst restrictive, offers an opportunity for him to seek the necessary support to help get his life back on track.”