Teenager locked up after attacks on police

A teenage boy has been sentenced to a year in a youth detention centre after repeatedly assaulting police officers.

The 17-year-old, who cannotbenamedforlegalreasons, appearedatHuntingdonYouth Courtchargedwithfivecounts of assaulting an emergency workerintheexecutionoftheir duty, racially aggravated harassment and being in possessionofaknifeinapublicplace.

On September 14 last year, hewasbeinginterviewedinrelation to allegations of violent and racial offences, when he became increasingly agitated and threatened to punch the interviewing police officer, before lashing out, punching a perspex screen and spitting on the officer’s boot.

He was released under investigation, however, two days later he was arrested again after spitting in the face of an officer,hittinghimonthemouth.

He then went on to kick another officer and shouted racial abuse at onlookers as he was being placed in the back of a police van. While in custody, he headbutted another police officer.

Last month, police were called out to West Town where the boy became aggressive towards them, making threats before kicking an officer in the legandspittingdirectlyattheir mouth.

On March 3, police were called out to Peterborough City Care Centre in Thorpe

Road, where they found the teen in possession of a Stanley knife.

He was sentenced to a 12-month detention and training order – a sentence which can be given to children aged between 12 and 17 where an offence is so serious that custody is the only appropriate penalty.

PC Oliver Holmes said: “No one wants to see a young person go into a custodial setting, however this young man has been given many chances, offered various help, yet his offending has continued and escalated in severity.

"Hopefully a period of stability in custody will benefit him and he will be able to change his ways.”