A 16-YEAR-OLD boy has appeared in court for throwing a chair at takeaway staff and possessing a knife in public.

The teenager from Wickford, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted damaging the £22 chair, belonging to Favourite Chicken and Ribs in Wickford’s High Street.

At the hearing at Basildon Youth Court last week, he further admitted possessing a lock knife during the afternoon of Sunday, January 15.

The boy was arrested by special constable Robert Hill, who was only working his second shift at the time.

Mr Hill was alerted to an incident in the High Street via his radio after a teenager, who was suspected of having a knife on him, was thought to have assaulted staff inside inside a shop

He said that the boy ran away from him as soon as he approached the shop.

Mr Hill, who works as a transport supervisor for a freight company in his day job, said: “We had a call to an incident in Wickford High Street where someone had thrown a chair at takeaway staff.

“There were reports that he had a lock knife on him.

“When I got out of the car, he ran off so I gave chase and arrested him.

“The adrenalin was pumping, it was quite exciting.”

The 16-year-old boy was taken into custody on suspicion of criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon.

He was later charged.

At the court hearing, magistrates heard that the teenager had further breached an 18-month conditional discharge, which was imposed on July 28 after he was convicted of assault.

He was released on unconditional bail to appear at Basildon Youth Court on Tuesday, March 21.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be carried out.

Staff at Favourite Chicken and Ribs declined to comment on the matter.

Anyone with information about antisocial behaviour in Wickford can call Basildon’s community policing team on 101 or crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Alternatively they can visit crimestoppers-uk.org where they can fill out an anonymous online form.