Teenager found with BB airgun
POLICE were called after a teenager was seen with a gun heading towards McDonald's on Tavistock Road, Plymouth Youth Court heard.
The witness said the boy was with a group of other schoolchildren going towards the restaurant at around lunchtime on July 15.
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WEAPONS: The air pistol and two knives found on teenagers in McDonald's
Police believed there was an "organised fight" planned at the family restaurant between pupils from two city schools.
When they got there they found the place packed with up to 120 youths, with some admitting at the time they had come to watch an arranged fight between students from two city schools.
They found a 16-year-old youth with the reported gun, which turned out to be a BB airgun, which he had tucked into the waistband of his trousers.
They also arrested a 17-year-old youth who was carrying two knives – a kitchen knife and a craft knife, the court heard.
When the 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared in the youth court, he pleaded guilty to possession of an air weapon in a public place.
The teenager, who had never been in trouble with the police before, was in tears as his solicitor told the court the boy didn't own the gun – it belonged to the youth who was carrying the knives.
Mr Anthony Daniel said: "It was the end of term and pupils from Sir John Hunt Community College had arranged to meet and celebrate with a meal at McDonald's.
"Rumours circulated that students from another school might be going to the same venue and that it might provoke some trouble."
The court heard the other school allegedly involved was Eggbuckland Community College .
Mr Daniel said the older boy, who owned the airgun, was showing it to his client as they walked towarsd the restaurant which, he said, was probably when it was seen by the witness, who called police.
Of the 16-year-old, Mr Daniel said: "He wasn't looking for violence. They went there, had a meal and nothing untoward happened."
He said when police arrived the older boy handed over the airgun to the 16-year-old, who put it in the waistband of his trousers.
He said his client might have felt intimidated by the older boy into doing this. When police approached him he immediately handed over the weapon.
Mr Daniel said: "They found two knives on the other boy, a kitchen knife and a craft knife. He was also arrested but police took no further action over him."
The airgun, designed with a spring action to fire ball bearings or lead pellets, was not loaded, the court heard.
Mr Daniel said the airgun also turned out to be damaged to the extent it would have been unable able to fire pellets.
He said the boy had been foolish to get involved and had been distressed by the whole incident, as had his "close knit family".
Magistrates told the boy although he might have been naive it was a serious matter, as any weapon in a public place could attract disaster.
They gave him a six month referral order, which means he and his parents will attend regular meetings with a Youth Offender Panel.
They also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the BB airgun.
19 Comments
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by shaun, plymouth
Sunday, November 16 2008, 11:25PM
“Dont blame the police for the decisions of the cps. who knows why they decided to nfa the guy with knives and charge the youth with a gun offence........ government targets maybe??”
by oliver, Derriford
Sunday, November 16 2008, 10:35PM
“Its so refreshing to see some worthwhile comments on a news article as opposed to the pathetic idiotic responses that are usualy made by E. and his cronies.... I also agree the youth with the knives got away lightly and wasobviously the ring leader.”
by Jo, Plymouth
Sunday, November 16 2008, 5:39PM
“The boy carrying the knives should of at least been sent to a young offenders institution. I am surprised the police did not prosecute and ultimately gives out the message that its not that serious to be carrying a knife/knives. Until the police take action and adopt a zero tolerance approach incidents like this will be commonplace in Plymouth as it is nationwide.”
by John, St Judes
Sunday, November 16 2008, 9:59AM
“Crazy the lad gets such a hard time over a toy gun and lets be honest this is a TOY gun but the other lad carrying a stanlry which will cut through flesh with ease and what looks like a parring knife is let off scot free? Yes i know a bb could blind someone so can a stone lets remove all of those or a coin so lets ban those its not the tools we should be looking at but the quality of parenting or guideing these kids get.”
by Tess, plymouth
Sunday, November 16 2008, 1:35AM
“If the police want to stop these idiots carrying BB guns then arrest the idiot that sells them in the market.”
by Andy, Plymouth
Saturday, November 15 2008, 11:18PM
“A celebratory meal in MacDonald's, how civilised. What's wrong with trashing the school and buses like normal kids at end of term?”
by jc, plymouth
Saturday, November 15 2008, 7:57PM
“I think its also time to deal with the adults that sell/supply young people with such weapons.We hear constantly of young people involved in shooting incidents or carrying such weapons but we have to realise that young people are not getting such weapons free with a copy of the beano!
generally its adults that sell/supply young people with such weapons.”
by paul, isleworth
Saturday, November 15 2008, 6:32PM
“Tim - If a kid shot you or family in the eye with a pea from a gun YOU WILL BE BLINDED!! How dumb can some people be? London has arrived in Plymouth - here starts the 30 teenagers killed a year. Will it be your child next?? Do you really really care?? No, of course not. X Factor is on and it's time for another KFC and a feg.
Britain's complacency and inability to be tough on the future criminals is exactly why the graveyards are running out of space.
As soon as kids get the idea that carrying a harmful object is "fun", you know a community has failed big time.
Message to the police of Plymouth - stop and search, stop and search, stop and search - oh and charge and lock-up (maybe the last bit should be aimed at our totally useless Prime Minister)”
by Tim, plymouth
Saturday, November 15 2008, 2:29PM
“Let's be sensible about this, a BB gun is a toy that fires plastic peas, an air gun is a weapon that fires metal pellets that can be harmful if misused. If we are all going to be jailed fore carrying toys, I think it shows how incompetent and useless both the police and CPS really are. They want figures to impress the government and nothing else m,atters to them. Justice and truth are mearly words with no meaning to them.”
by I'll'secondthat, plymouth
Saturday, November 15 2008, 1:49PM
“While I don't condone carrying wepons in any shape or size. Why was the 16yrs old taken to court for carrying a gun yet the older boy with 2 knives LET OFF????? The justice system is an ?/x@”