News: Boy, 14, found with guns let free because law says he is not a danger
A 14-year-old boy caught with two handguns and live ammunition has walked from court after a judge said he could not impose a custodial sentence because Parliament had “tied his hands”. The boy, who could not see over the ledge of the dock in court, was caught with two handguns Photo: Alamy 7:00AM GMT 25 Nov 2011 Judge Roger Chapple said he could not jail the teenager because he is not considered a “dangerous offender” and, with only one previous conviction — for carrying a knife — he is not considered to be a “persistent offender” in the eyes of the law. The judge said he was left with little option other than to release the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, on a youth rehabilitation programme despite the fact that possessing an offensive weapon carries a sentence of up to