Taxi passenger pleads guilty following a firearms incident in Watford

Image credit: Unsplash-Stephen Packwood/Hertfordshire Police remixed

A teenager has pleaded guilty to multiple offences following a firearms incident in Watford, where police officers found a number of weapons while searching a taxi.

The 16 year old boy from Watford, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pled guilty to:

• Possession of an imitation firearm in a public place

• Possession of a bladed article in a public place

• Possession of a Class B drug (cannabis)

• Failure to comply with a Community Protection Notice.

He appeared before Hatfield Remand Court on Thursday 15 April.

The teenager has been released on conditional bail with a tag and housed out of county, with a caveat that he must not enter Hertfordshire for any reason other than legal purposes. If he does, he faces arrest. His next court date has been scheduled for Wednesday 5 May.

The charges are in relation to an incident on the afternoon of Tuesday 13 April. Officers on patrol stopped a taxi on Longspring after witnessing a male acting suspiciously before getting into the vehicle on The Harebreaks.

They searched the vehicle and recovered a bladed article and suspected firearms, before arresting two males in connection with the incident.

Detective Inspector Jason Finnegan, who leads the Watford Local Crime Unit, said: “We are pleased to have secured a guilty plea in relation to this incident and want it to be known that weapon-carrying will not be tolerated in Watford. We now await the next court date in relation to this investigation.”

An 18 year old man from Bushey was arrested on suspicion of possession of a firearm, possession of an offensive weapon and possession of cannabis in connection with the incident. He has been released under investigation while enquiries continue.