A 19 YEAR OLD TOOTING MAN WHO STABBED A FELLOW STU

A 19 YEAR OLD TOOTING MAN WHO STABBED A FELLOW STUDENT DURING AN

ARGUMENT OVER A CALCULATOR, WAS ORDERED THIS WEEK TO DO 100 HOURS OF

COMMUNITY SERVICE.

AND THE JUDGE AT INNER LONDON CROWN COURT WARNED HIM THAT HE HAD

NARROWLY MISSED A CUSTODIAL SENTENCE.

LINCOLN WAITHE HAD TOLD POLICE HE WAS ‘ONLY MUCKING ABOUT’ WHEN

HE TOOK 16 YEAR OLD ANDRA GABRIEL’S CALCULATOR AT THE SOUTH EAST

LONDON COLLEGE IN LEWISHAM WAY LAST JUNE.

BUT THERE WAS A SCUFFLE AND WAITHE, OF STELLA ROAD, TOOTING,

STABBED THE YOUTH IN THE LEFT THIGH.

ARRESTED THE FOLLOWING DAY IN POSSESSION OF THE CALCULATOR

WAITHE EXPLAINED TO POLICE: ‘I WAS ONLY MUCKING ABOUT.

I DIDN’T MEAN

TO KEEP THE CALCULATOR AND I ONLY INTENDED TO GRAZE GABRIEL WITH THE

KNIFE, NOT HURT HIM BADLY.

‘

MR ROBERT WATSON, DEFENDING, TOLD THE COURT: ‘WHAT STARTED AS A

RATHER TASTELESS PRANK ENDED UP AS AN UNPLEASANT INCIDENT.

WAITHE

SAID HE WOULD PUT THE CALCULATOR BACK.

HE COULDN’T KEEP IT BECAUSE

EVERYONE IN THE CLASS, INCLUDING THE TEACHER, HAD SEEN HIM TAKE IT.

‘

COUNSEL CONTINUED: ‘WHEN GABRIEL FOUND OUT WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE

HE PUNCHED WAITHE IN THE FACE.

WAITHE LITERALLY SAW RED AFTER BLOOD

BEGAN TO POUR FROM HIS NOSE.

‘BUT AFTER THE INCIDENT HE WENT UP TO THE HOSPITAL TO APOLOGISE

AND EXPRESS HIS PERSONAL REGRET.

‘

WAITHE, WHO HAS FIVE C.

S.

E.

PASSES AND IS SHORTLY TAKING FURTHER

EXAMS, WAS TOLD BY JUDGE HYAM: ‘IT IS NORMAL FOR A PRISON SENTENCE TO

BE IMPOSED FOR OFFENCES SUCH AS THE ONE YOU HAVE COMMITTED.

BUT I

SEE YOU ARE A PERSON WHO CAN APPLY YOURSELF AND THAT YOU ARE CAPABLE

OF DOING GOOD WORK.

IF YOU WERE PUT INTO CUSTODY IT WOULD INTERFERE

WITH YOUR PROGRESS.

‘

WAITHE HAD PLEADED GUILTY TO WOUNDING THE BOY AT THE COLLEGE ON

JUNE 11 THIS YEAR.

ENDS