16-year-old handed youth referral order after bringing ‘Rambo’ knife and police-style baton to Wisbech town centre

A 16-year-old boy has been sentenced after he brought a knife and police-style baton to a town centre.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested on Somers Road in Wisbech with the weapons, one of which was a “Rambo” knife.

Officers launched a search for the boy after receiving reports from the Horsefair Shopping Centre security staff that two people were acting suspiciously.

Police were able to track him down to a gated-off area near the White Lion Hotel, where he was with a man and a woman.

When told he was about to be searched, the teenager handed his coat to the woman, at which point the officers noticed the items sticking out of his pocket.

He was arrested and charged with possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and being in possession of a bladed article in a public place, both of which he admitted at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 29.

The boy was sentenced to an eight-month youth referral order – the community sentence given to most first-time young offenders.

It will require him to attend a panel comprising two members of the community and an advisor from a youth offending team, where they will agree a contract of commitments.

PC Ryan Windass, who investigated, said: “This was a great spot by security officers who acted on their instincts and reported their concerns to us straight away.

“We were able to intervene before the weapons could be used and potentially cause serious harm to someone.”