Kettering teenager locked up by magistrates after attacking man with machete

A 16-year-old who repeatedly punched a woman and then attacked a man with a machete has been locked up by magistrates.

The Kettering teenager, who can’t be named for legal reasons, was arrested after armed police were called to an incident on March 1.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said the boy repeatedly punched a woman in the town, leaving her with bruising and pain to her ribs.

He then punched a man and pulled out a machete before striking him on his back and arm with it.

Thankfully, the police spokesman said, the victim didn’t sustain serious injuries.

At a youth court sitting at Wellingborough Magistrates’ Court the boy pleaded guilty to having a machete in a public place, attempting to wound a man with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and assault causing actual bodily harm.

He also admitted further charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and one of intentional strangling from previous incidents which took place in February.

Magistrates sentenced the boy to a 20-month detention and training order, a type of custodial sentence given to those aged between 12 and 17.

They said that the combination of offences was so serious that only a sentence of detention could be justified.