Off-duty police officer tackles knife-carrying teenager near school

An off-duty police officer wrestled a knife-carrying teenager to the ground after an assault took place near a school.

PC Lucas Scholter, a response officer from Riverside Police Station, was enjoying a rest-day and having his hair cut when the incident occurred.

On Friday 30 January, just after 3pm, he was sat in a barber shop in Radcliffe on Trent when he noticed a male acting suspiciously on the street and wearing a balaclava.

PC Scholter paid for his haircut and decided to walk in the direction of where the male was heading.

As he approached South Nottinghamshire Academy in Cropwell Road, a member of the public informed him about an assault that had just happened.

The assault took place on a 14-year-old boy who was repeatedly punched and kicked.

The suspect was described as a boy wearing a balaclava.

The off-duty officer stopped the suspect in Bingham Road.

Explaining what happened on the day, PC Scholter said:

"I was at the barbers when I noticed a male walk past the window wearing a balaclava.

"He seemed to be walking with purpose as he was soon out of view.

"I stayed and chatted in the shop for a few minutes and once making my payment, I left the shop and proceeded to walk up Cropwell Road in the direction of the school.

"I was then approached by a member of the public informing me that an individual with a balaclava has just assaulted someone.

“I confirmed that I was a police officer and stopped the boy on Bingham Road.

"I have shown him my warrant card and told him ‘I am an off-duty police officer and he would be detained as I believed he had committed an offence’.

"The boy has then began swearing and trying to elbow my face.

"He has also tried to escape, so I have then brought him to the ground and used restraining tactics while officers arrived. During a search of the suspect, a knife was also located."

He was arrested and charged with possessing a bladed weapon in a public place. He has also been arrested with Actual Bodily Harm (ABH).

Chief Inspector Anwaar Ahmed said:

"We’ve many occasions where our officers while off duty have jumped into action to ensure that suspects are caught and that members of the public are protected.

"The actions of PC Scholter on this day are highly commendable. Not only did he locate the suspect, he then, tackled and held him down while officers were on their way.

"He even calmly asked members of the public, who were trying to help, to move away from the scene when the presence of a knife was known.

"This is outstanding and brave police work and I would like to thank him personally for what he did that day."