Boy detained over McDonald's knife threats

The threats happened in the McDonald's restaurant on Scotch Street

A 14-year-old is in youth custody after threatening a boy with a knife in a McDonald's restaurant.

CCTV captured the moment the teen burst through the doors of the Carlisle restaurant and waved a knife in the face of the youngster.

The teen, who cannot be named because of his age, was a repeat offender who had "retribution" in mind, Carlisle Youth Court heard on Friday, although his lawyer argued he had no intention of using the weapon.

Judges made him subject of a six-month detention and training order (DTO).

'Retribution'

Other young customers at the Scotch Street restaurant had scattered in panic when the boy began waving the blade around during the incident on 30 January.

The court heard the offence was carried out in retribution following an earlier alleged assault.

The child admitted affray and threatening a person with an offensive weapon.

His lawyer told youth justices: "He was never going to use the knife, he wanted to frighten [the victim]."

After studying background reports, youth justices concluded the offending was so serious only detention could be imposed.

They said there had been fear of serious violence while young people were present, and described the boy as a "persistent offender" who was in breach of a previously imposed youth rehabilitation order linked to other offences.

DTOs are custodial sentences reserved for persistent offenders, with half the term usually spent in a detention and training centre.

For the remainder of the sentence, the young person will be supervised in the community.