Girl, 13, arrested after 'spate' of vandalism to police cars in Portsmouth

The 13-year-old Londoner appeared at Portsmouth Youth Court yesterday where she admitted three charges of criminal damage after spray-painting a police car, and the windows and noticeboard outside Portsmouth Central station, and smashing a police car’s windscreen with a rock.

Magistrates were told the girl had been held in police custody for nearly two days for her own protection as she was at risk of child protection.

A Metropolitan police officer, who attended the hearing with the girl, said: ‘She’s been in our custody, it’s a place of safety then social are meant to find somewhere.

‘I’ve been in the job three-and-a-half years, this is the longest I’ve ever heard of.

‘My governor has got annoyed and said we’re dropping her off at (a London borough) with social services.’

No family or social services were with the girl during the youth court hearing to give her support.

Prosecutor Julie Macey said the girl had been spotted in Isambard Brunel Road, in Portsmouth, moments after a police car’s bonnet was graffitied on June 9 at 10.30pm.

The girl hit a police officer in the face when she was stopped in the same street on June 28. She was arrested again on July 26 at 2.30am over damage to the station and the police car windscreen.

Magistrates heard the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has 14 outstanding cases in London courts.