A 15-year-old boy was handed a suspended jail sentence on Wednesday after he was convicted of having threatened, assaulted and slightly injured a policeman and breaching two probation orders.

The incident happened in January in a home for children in care.

The incident developed after the boy was told by a carer not to take a tablet to his room. When he refused, the carer switched off the wifi system.

The court heard that as the argument got out of hand, the officer tried to handcuff the boy and was threatened and assaulted.  Another young resident was also assaulted. 

The officer and the aggressor ended up wrestling on the floor.

The boy was subsequently arrested.

The constable told the court he had bruises on his knees, a finger was swollen and he was hit in his mouth.  

A carer testified that the young resident pushed the police officer to the ground, jumped on him and punched him. She and other carers intervened  when they saw him trying to bite the officer.   

She explained that the boy had 14 hours of access to the internet but was barred from taking his tablet to the bedroom.  

The court found the 15-year-old guilty of threatening, assaulting and injuring the officer and threatening and insulting three carers and another minor, disobeying legitimate police orders and breaching two probation orders handed a day before the incident.

However, in its considerations it held that an effective prison term would not be suitable in this case and that the boy was still a minor.

He was therefore sentenced to a jail term of 18 months suspended for 36 months.

He was also placed on a three-year treatment order.

Magistrate Abigail Critien presided.