13-YEAR-OLD GUILTY OF HEROIN AND CRACK COCAINE CHARGE

A JUDGE spoke yesterday of his "sadness and horror" after a 13-year-old boy
was found guilty of possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to
supply.

After remanding the boy, who was just 12 at the time of the offence, into
local authority care for a month while pre-sentence reports are compiled,
Judge Quentin Campbell, said he had never encountered such an offence in 20
years on the bench.

The slightly-built youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, showed no
emotion as he was found guilty on one count of possessing five grammes of
crack cocaine and 700 milligrammes of heroin with intent to supply, at Inner
London Crown Court.

Turning to the jury, Judge Campbell said: "This is a serious and very, very
worrying case. I don't expect you ever thought when you were asked to do
jury service that you would be trying a 12-year-old for dealing in the most
dangerous drugs available.

"The court, and I am sure you the jury, must be horrified to see such a
young boy who, on the evidence, is clearly guilty of having crack cocaine
and heroin, perhaps the most dangerous drugs of all, with the intention of
supplying them to others."

After warning the child he faced a real risk of custody, the judge remanded
him into local authority care for a month, took off his wig, rubbed his
hands across both eyes and added: "Isn't it sad."

The court heard how the 4ft 8in schoolboy had repeatedly tried to escape as
plain-clothed police found 18 rocks of crack cocaine and two wraps of heroin
worth a total of UKP500 crammed into his left tracksuit trouser pocket.

Underneath them was UKP400 in cash. More crack cocaine, a small amount of
cannabis and a further UKP1,600 was found shortly afterwards at a friend's
flat, which the youngster had moved into after a row with his mother.

Detective Constable Ian Dickson, one of those who helped arrest and handcuff
the boy, said after the trial: "This has to be a terrible indictment on
society.

"It is awful that a boy of this age should be involved in such serious
offences. It really saddened all the officers on the case.

The youngster, acquitted at another court just last week on two counts of
robbery, was seen cycling with a 15-year-old youth, by a four-strong police
patrol one school day last September in south London.

After his arrest, he insisted the drugs and money in his pocket had belonged
to the older youth. All he was doing was looking after them for his "good
friend".

The barrister said police had been unable to find any evidence linking the
15-year-old to the cash and hard drugs. However, he was given a caution in
connection with a small amount of cannabis found on him.