IT HAS been another busy week at Brent.

In the last seven days our custody cells at Wembley and Kilburn have seen a total of 169 prisoners pass through them.

The type of arrests we have dealt with have included possession with intent to supply drugs from one of the 20-plus search warrants we carried out while targeting gang crime.

Others involved in organised criminality but also a wide variety of offences, including robbery, burglary, assaults, deception offences, possession of a firearm, theft from cars, possession of drugs, sexual assault, pick pocketing and making threats to kill to name but a few.

One particular case that I will share with you is one that unifies several themes and priorities for us at Brent; possession of an offensive weapon.

On Wednesday, March 7, at 8.20pm, a 25-year-old man was driving a car in Wembley.

There was intelligence held on the Police National Computer for this vehicle and it went past an automatic number plate reader device that we regularly use around the borough.

Officers on mobile patrol stopped the car and spoke to him. The driver, Cordell Stewart, 25, of Lovett Way, Willesden, was known to the Criminal Justice System. He was subsequently searched and found to be in possession of a weapon with a blade. He was arrested and taken to Wembley Police Station.

He waited in a cell and was subsequently interviewed on tape later that evening in the presence of a solicitor, which was provided free, under the legal aid arrangements.

We electronically submitted the papers immediately to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision. He was subsequently charged with possession of the weapon and kept in the cells overnight to attend court the next day. We treat possession of knives seriously, as do the courts.

At North West London Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, March 9, the defendant admitted possession of the weapon and was sentenced to eight weeks imprisonment on the spot.

This is just one case story from the 169 prisoners who passed through custody last week. I have chosen it as illustrative of three key points.

Firstly, we use technology and intelligence such as Police National Computer to help us selectively target our activity.

Secondly, we use stop and search as a tool to remove weapons from circulation and to dissuade people from carrying them through the fear of being caught and for serious offences.

Finally, where the circumstances warrant it, we will not grant bail and the courts will deal robustly and swiftly.

The message should be clear. Don’t carry weapons because we will catch you and you will go to jail.