'I WANT MUMMY,' SCREAMS BOY SENTENCED FOR DRUG DEALING TRIED, CONVICTED AT
AGE 12

LONDON - A boy in England who moved a judge to tears after being convicted
of drug dealing at the age of 12 was carried from the dock yesterday
kicking, screaming and crying for his mother as he began a two-year
sentence.

The boy skipped school to cycle between customers with sweets in one pocket
and crack cocaine, heroin and hundreds of pounds cash in the other. He is
believed to be the youngest dealer to come before the courts in Britain.

When the boy, now 13 but small for his age, was found guilty at an earlier
trial, Judge Quentin Campbell said: "After 20 years on one sort of bench or
another I never thought I would be presiding over the trial of a 12-year-old
for dealing in the most dangerous drugs available.''

The judge, a father of six, then took off his wig, wiped his eyes, turned to
the jury and said: "Isn't it sad.''

Sentencing the boy, who stood crying in the dock at Inner London Crown
Court, the judge told him yesterday: "Deterrence is paramount. Any sentence
that might be looked on as an encouragement to very young defendants to deal
in drugs, or encourages older and unscrupulous dealers to make use of very
young persons as a tool in their trade, would cause complete havoc. There
can be no other sentence other than a substantial imprisonment.''

"You were stopped by the police and found with 400 pounds on you, together
with 4.5 grams of crack cocaine and 0.7 grams of heroin. Crack cocaine and
heroin are the two most common and most dangerous drugs available.

Judge Campbell said the jury had "quite rightly'' rejected his defence of
duress because the boy, although not the prime mover, was "a perfectly
willing participant.''

A boy aged 15, who was arrested with him but not charged through lack of
evidence, may well have been "using you because of your age,'' he said.

"You will not serve your sentence in a young offenders' institution but in
an appropriate, therapeutic, secure institution so that you get guidance,
education and help that will set you on the right road.''

As the cell door opened, the boy turned toward his mother and screamed: "I
want to see my mummy, I want my mummy.''

He continued to scream as he struggled, and kicked court officials before
falling to the floor still struggling. He was eventually carried out.

Outside court his mother, a 41-year-old single parent from south London,
said: "It shows the way society is going. It makes me sick that a
12-year-old can end up embroiled in drugs.''