Mob of officers descend on park to fine youths who tormented lone PCSO

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How many policemen does it take to catch a bike thief…? Moment mob of officers descended on park and fined yobs who tormented lone PCSO and stole his cycle as he tried to disperse crowd during lockdown

  • Mobile footage shows a PCSO trying to disperse a large gathering in a park 
  • As he tries to reason with the group, his bicycle is taken and the crowd cheers 
  • They then taunt the PCSO, laughing at him and shouting ‘you just got robbed!’ 
  • Subsequent footage shows officers flocking to help the colleague in the field 

By Henry Martin For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A mob of police flocked to help a PCSO who was humiliated by a group of young men flouting lockdown to play cricket – who then laughed at the officer when his bicycle was taken. 

The brazen moment the PCSO’s bike was taken as he tried to disperse the mob on Godolphin playing fields, Slough, was captured on video.

As the officer explained the importance of current restrictions on public gatherings, one of the group grabbed his bicycle and started running off – as parts of the group then laugh and taunt the PCSO, saying ‘you just got robbed!’ before the bicycle was left behind.

The officer called for backup which was then deployed, with at least a dozen officers arriving moments later to fine members of the group. 

Thames Valley Police also charged alleged bike thief Hassan Ali, 23, with a section 4a public order offence and one count of taking a bicycle without consent. 

Ali was arrested on Wednesday after a PCSO was ‘intimidated by a group of men’ who had gathered on the playing fields. 

He has been bailed to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 4 June.  

Thames Valley Police had praised the PCSO for his ‘professionalism and great constraint’ during the incident. 

A mob of police flocked to help a PCSO who was humiliated by a group of young men flouting lockdown to play cricket

A mob of police flocked to help a PCSO who was humiliated by a group of young men flouting lockdown to play cricket

The officer called for backup which was then deployed, with at least a dozen officers arriving moments after the group tormented the PCSO

The officer called for backup which was then deployed, with at least a dozen officers arriving moments after the group tormented the PCSO

The officer called for backup which was then deployed, with at least a dozen officers arriving moments after the group tormented the PCSO

As the PCSO speaks to the young men, one of them grabs his bicycle and starts running off - as the person filming advises him to 'take the stand down'

As the PCSO speaks to the young men, one of them grabs his bicycle and starts running off – as the person filming advises him to ‘take the stand down’

Recent figures revealed that police handed out more than 9,000 fines to people in England and Wales for flouting coronavirus lockdown laws – including 397 repeat offenders. One was given six fixed penalty notices in the past month. 

Eight out of ten fines were given to men – and 54 per cent of those who flouted the rules were aged between 18 and 29. 

Police powers to tackle people flouting the coronavirus lockdown 

  • Up to two years in prison if you cough deliberately on someone after spate of attacks on police and emergency service workers
  • People who continue to flout coronavirus lockdown rules will be breaking the law and can be arrested as part of new enforcement powers announced by the Home Office.
  • Officers can also tell them to go home, leave or disperse an area and ensure parents are taking necessary steps to stop their children breaking the law.
  • Those who refuse to comply could be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £60, which will be lowered to £30 if paid within 14 days.
  • Second-time offenders could be issued a fixed penalty notice of £120, doubling on each further repeat offence.
  • Those who do not pay the penalty can be taken to court, with magistrates able to impose fines up to £1,000 or more; 

The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said 8,877 tickets were handed out by forces in England between March 27 and April 27, while 299 were issued in Wales over the same period.

These peaked over the Easter weekend with an average of 500 fines per day issued as temperatures reached 79F (26C).  

In the earlier bicycle theft footage, as the support officer raises his palms in disbelief, he is met with taunts of ‘do we go home?’ in a high-pitched tone.

The person filming says: ‘Go home, how are you going to get home, officer? Where’s your bike?’

One the group says: ‘Look how many cameras there are around you right now’.

The PCSO says: ‘I don’t care, I’m doing the right thing here.’

One of those gathered in the field taunts: ‘Daddy pig says go home.’

Another of the group says: ‘Leave it man, he’s about to cry, man.’

The PCSO says: ‘Go home, seriously.’

Video of the incident was shared online, bringing in more than 150,000 views.

As the support officer raises his palms in disbelief, the person filming says: 'Go home, how are you going to get home, officer, where's your bike?'

As the support officer raises his palms in disbelief, the person filming says: 'Go home, how are you going to get home, officer, where's your bike?'

As the support officer raises his palms in disbelief, the person filming says: ‘Go home, how are you going to get home, officer, where’s your bike?’

What ARE the lockdown rules?  

Regulation 6 of the The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 states no person may leave the place where they live without a reasonable excuse.

The National Police Chief’s Council has released its interpretation of what constitutes a ‘reasonable excuse’: 

It classifies explains its interpretation of how the law relates to everday activities. 

It defines activites that are likely to be reasonable as: 

– Buying several days’ worth of food, including luxury items and alcohol. 

– Buying tools and supplies to repair a fence panel damaged in recent bad weather.  

 – Exercise including: going for a run or cycle or practicing yoga. Walking in the countryside or in cities. Attending an allotment.

 – Stopping to rest or to eat lunch while on a long walk. 

It defines activities that are ‘not likely to be reasonable’ as: 

– Buying paint and brushes, simply to redecorate a kitchen

– A short walk to a park bench, when the person remains seated for a much longer period 

– A person who can work from home choosing to work in a local park. 

By way of explanation on each area it adds: 

Shopping – There is no need for all a person’s shopping to be basic food supplies; the purchase of snacks and luxuries is still permitted. In general terms, a person has a reasonable excuse to visit the shops which remain open to customers under the Regulations. 

If a person is already out of the address with good reason, then it would not be proportionate to prevent the person from buying nonessential items. Food could include hot food from takeaways. 

Exercise – Exercise must involve some movement, but it is acceptable for a person to stop for a break in exercise. However, a very short period of ‘exercise’ to excuse a long period of inactivity may mean that the person is not engaged in ‘exercise’ but in fact something else.

Home improvements – 

The regulations specify maintenance and upkeep. This does not extend to renovation and improvements. 

There were 8,877 fines in total between late March and April - with the most handed out in Lancashire

There were 8,877 fines in total between late March and April – with the most handed out in Lancashire