Teen found with three knives
YOUNGSTER IS TAGGED AS JUDGE GIVES HIM ‘ONE LAST CHANCE TO AVOID GOING INSIDE’
A TEENAGER caught carrying two knives and a machete has been tagged to make the streets safer and has been warned, “it’s your last chance”.
The 16-year-old, of Mapperley, who is deemed a high risk to other people in the community, pleaded guilty to having a meat cleaver, two kitchen knives and possessing cannabis in a Welsh town.
Teresa Simms, prosecuting, said he was stopped by police following reports of a suspicious male.
He “volunteered” he had three knives on him and was arrested and searched.
Hidden away up one arm was a black-handled kitchen knife. Also recovered was the meat cleaver and another six-inch kitchen knife.
He had less than one gram of cannabis which, with the knives, have been forfeited and destroyed.
The youth, who cannot be identified due to his age, was also before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, January 6, for an offence of criminal damage which happened on December 10 last year.
Miss Simms said he damaged a window after punching a doorway with his right hand.
The youth has 17 offences across three convictions including crimes of criminal damage and battery.
John Pendlebury, mitigating, said he had explained to the youth the situation he is in.
The youngster had asked him if the Youth Offending Service will be able to help him with his education and “he has come to court looking for help”.
District Judge Grace Leong asked him where he thinks his future is going and the teenager replied: “I don’t know. I want to make something of myself.
“My mental health is all over the place at the moment. I want to get into education”.
Judge Leong made a youth rehabilitation order with an Intensive supervision and surveillance programme (ISS).
She warned the youth in the dock: “It’s your last chance. Carrying knives is very serious. If you do it during this order, you can expect to get a detention and training order, so to go inside”.
The youngster has been hit with a 91-day extended activity requirement, including a programme of education and training, and to help him going out in the community.
His supervision lasts for 12 months and will focus on his mental health issues and looking at his peer group.
He is also subject to a curfew and electronic tagging, “so you are not wandering the streets of Nottingham, making the streets unsafe for the people who live here.
“If you come back before me, you will not be as lucky as today”, added the judge.
He was asked if he had any pocket money, and he explained his financial situation, as he was ordered to pay a £21 victim surcharge fee.