Boy who fired pellet gun at policeman spared jail

A boy who fired a pellet gun at a pursuing policeman has been spared jail.

The teenager, who was only 15 at the time, was being chased through Hanworth by a special constable on July 16 when he stopped and fired the BB gun, modelled in the style of a black handgun, Feltham Magistrates' Court heard.

The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claimed he had aimed over the head of the policeman, in Exeter Road, and the safety catch had been on so no pellets were discharged, the court heard.

But Roz Wardell, prosecuting, said the volunteer police officer in question, Special Constable Dion Arnold, had "thought that was it" when he saw the weapon pointed at him and witnessed what he described as "loud pops and flashes".

The teenager, now 16, of Hampton, admitted possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, and possession of a firearm and suitable ammunition in a public place.

He was sentenced on Tuesday (August 25), to an 18-month youth rehabilitation order and 60 hours of community reparation.

He was also given a six-month curfew, preventing him from being out after 8pm, and ordered to pay costs of £85, plus £100 compensation to the special constable and a £15 victim surcharge.

Ms Wardell told the court Mr Arnold and another special constable had been on patrol shortly before 11pm when they approached two males in the car park of McDonald's in Hanworth. She said both males had fled towards Hounslow, one on a bike and the other on foot.

"As he [Mr Arnold] reached the defendant, the defendant turned towards him and had a gun in his hand which he pointed at Special Constable Arnold, who heard loud pops and saw flashes and thought that was it," she continued.

She said Mr Arnold had then tackled him to the ground, before being assisted by another special constable who was on patrol with him. The male on the bicycle was never caught.

'Model pupil'

Rabin Govindarajah, defending, said the defendant was a "model pupil" but had autism which affected his judgement.

"When the weapon was produced it was because he panicked. He wanted the situation to stop. It must have been a frightening experience for the special constable but he [the defendant] was pointing over the officer's head and there were no bullets [fired]," added Mr Govindarajah.

The court heard how the defendant had been convicted in 2013 for possessing a bladed article in a public place.

He told the court he had bought the BB gun over the internet two weeks before the night in question because it "looked cool".

Chairman of the magistrates Inder Birdi told him he was "very lucky" to escape detention.

"You're [also] very lucky you weren't shot that night... Had an armed response unit been in the vicinity you would have been dead. That's scary," she added.