Pepper spray disarms youth

POLICE officers in Uckfield disarmed a knife-wielding youth by firing pepper spray into his face on Saturday.

The incident happened in Luxford Field car park at around 8.15pm after the 15-year-old had committed an assault on a girl.

Six police officers who were called to the scene were confronted by the youngster, who was brandishing two large kitchen knives. They decided to use the so-called captor spray, which incapacitates by causing temporarily blindness. There were a number of people, mainly youths, in the area at the time.

A police spokesman said: 'There was no danger to the public. The youth was detained using the spray, which was very effective.' The offender was arrested and charged with assault, affray and possession of an offensive weapon.

This was the second time the spray has been used in the Uckfield area in the last two weeks. It was introduced throughout Sussex earlier this year as a method of restraining potentially violent offenders before resorting to physical force, such as batons.