Metropolitan Police officers apprehended a 17-year-old male after spotting him carrying a large Rambo knife concealed in his waistband. Bodycam footage released by the police shows officers exiting a patrol car and quickly detaining the youth at a bus stop.
Officers drew their Tasers, subdued the teenager, and arrested him for possession of an offensive weapon. One officer can be heard on the footage identifying the outline of a knife before the Taser is deployed. The recovered weapon was described by an officer as a "large Rambo knife."
Upon questioning, the suspect confirmed he was 17 years old. As a juvenile, he was not sent to prison and instead received a referral order. The Metropolitan Police shared the footage on social media, stating that officers removed 2,894 knives from the streets last year.
Referral orders are issued to young people aged 10 to 17 who have pleaded guilty in court for the first time. These orders involve volunteer panel members, the young person, their parents or guardians, and a Youth Justice Service worker. The process aims to address offending behavior and negotiate a contract for restitution to the victim or community, with the goal of preventing re-offending and offering a chance for a non-criminal future. The duration of a referral order can range from three to 12 months, and the sentence is considered spent upon completion.
The decision to issue a referral order instead of a custodial sentence has drawn criticism from the political sphere. Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp stated that individuals carrying knives should face "real consequences." He expressed concern that a referral order results in minimal repercussions for carrying such a weapon. Philp advocated for stricter penalties, suggesting mandatory prison time or substantial community service for knife possession, and mandatory jail time for repeat juvenile offenders. He argued that a lack of serious consequences could lead to a spiral in crime.
