Telford teenager pays just £30 over railway station stabbing hoax
A 14-year-old boy from Telford, who sparked an armed response after claiming he had been stabbed, has been ordered to pay just £30 costs for making the hoax calls.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, made two separate "joke" calls causing more than 20 police officers with firearms, tasers and dogs to descend on Wellington railway station on November 16 last year.
The teenager, who appeared at Telford Youth Court yesterday, had previously admitted two counts of wasting police time after pressing the emergency call button on the platform on both November 16 and 17 last year.
The teenager had claimed he had been stabbed and the switchboard operator heard screaming in the background.
He was ordered to pay £30 court costs and was also ordered to take part in a referral order with the youth offending team for six months.
Mrs Abigail Hall, prosecuting said: "Three young males could be seen giggling and running away from the scene. When questioned he said he pressed the button as a joke because he thought it would be funny but decided to run off as he knew it was wrong."
Miss Lisa Morris-Jones, for the youth, said: "He has matured, he accepts that he was led by his peers and thought he was gaining respect but he now understands he was a fool."
Miss Morris-Jones added that the boy had felt "pressurised" to push the button and wanted to "publicly apologise".
She said: "When arrested he made a full and frank admission and was remorseful during police interviews.
Miss Morris-Jones said that his mother had been asking for help for a number of years with her sons difficulties and since the hoax call in November, the teenager has been assessed and is now receiving treatment.
The defendant said: "I am very sorry for my actions, I realise now that someone could have really of been in danger at that time."
Mrs Chris Grain, chairman of the magistrates hearing the case, said: "We order you to make £30 for court costs. It is a good thing that you realise it was a very foolish thing to do We don't want to see you again."
Chris Ammonds, spokesman for West Mercia Police, said: "Hoax calls like this not only waste an enormous amount of police time and resources, they could also put people with genuine reasons to call the emergency services in grave danger."
