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

How many policemen does it take to catch a bike thief…? Moment mob of officers descended on park and fined Covidiots 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 

A mob of police officers descended on a park to fine a group of Covidiots who humiliated a PCSO by stealing his bicycle.

In footage that emerged yesterday the group mocked the officer and took his bike as he tried to disperse them from Godolphin playing fields, Slough.

But now a new video has emerged showing what happens moments later as at least a dozen police officers arrived at the park to give him back up and issue the offenders with fines.

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

At least a dozen police officers arrived at Godolphin playing fields, Slough, to issue fines to a group of yobs who stole as PCSO’s bike as he lectured them on social distancing 

Footage taken yesterday showed the a PCSO struggle to keep control as he was mocked by a group of young people before having his bike stolen with one joking: 'You just got robbed!'

Footage taken yesterday showed the a PCSO struggle to keep control as he was mocked by a group of young people before having his bike stolen with one joking: ‘You just got robbed!’

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

Now a second video has emerged showing the scene moments later when more officers turned up and fined the group who was mocking him – and arrested one one over the bike theft

In the first video, published yesterday, the frustrated PCSO was filmed explaining the importance of current restrictions on public gatherings during lockdown.

As he gave his lecture, one of the yobs pinched his bike – as another laughed and said: ‘You just got robbed!’ before the bicycle was left behind. 

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

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. 

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. 

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; 

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. 

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?'

In the first video published on Wednesday, the support officer raises his palms in disbelief as 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