A 15-year-old boy who kicked a policeman after being caught with a weapon has pleaded guilty to the offences in court.

Officers were on proactive patrol in Hackney Central railway station at 1pm on Tuesday as part of the knife crime crackdown, Operation Sceptre.

When they saw a youth try to run away from uniformed officers their suspicions were aroused, and he was found to be carrying a lock knife in his pocket when he was stopped.

As the boy was taken to a police station he kicked an officer.

He was arrested and charged with possession of an offensive weapon and assaulting an emergency worker.

He pleaded guilty at Stratford Magistrates’ Court yesterday, and was released on conditional bail to be sentenced later this month.

Det Insp Angie Baker of the violence suppression unit said: “By removing this knife we have potentially prevented an act of violence and even a loss of life.

“We are also working hard with our partners to engage with the teenager and help divert him down a different path.

Anyone worried someone they know is carrying a knife or weapon, can get advice from organisations like Knife Free and Fearless.