Boy, 13, admits assaulting two police officers during Hackney group attack

A 13-year-old boy has admitted kicking and hurling abuse at two police officers in a group attack in east London.

Footage of the incident, which took place in Frampton Park Road, Hackney, on Wednesday was shared widely on social media.

It appeared to show an officer being kicked while pinned to the ground as his colleague is shoved when she tries to intervene. Both suffered minor injuries.

Home secretary Priti Patel and London mayor Sadiq Khan condemned the incident.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to two counts of assault on an emergency worker at Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Prosecutor Varinder Hayre said the boy had admitted to kicking and had been “shouting abuse” at the officers in the “unprovoked, deliberate” attack.

The case has been sent to Stratford Youth Court for sentencing on 8 July.

Hayre told the court: “This incident relates to an unprovoked, deliberate group attack on two serving police officers simply doing their daily jobs.”

She said the teenager “kicked towards PC Macpherson’s head and he hit PC Ali in the leg” while “shouting abuse”.

When arrested and interviewed, he identified himself in the footage, admitted to kicking both officers and said he thought he had been helping another man.

The court heard he told police he combined what he saw with news coverage about the Black Lives Matter movement and said he was sorry, and said he “should not have got involved in the way that he did”.

Three men facing assault charges relating to the incident are due to appeared in at the court later on.

Paul Kabemba, 33, from Hackney, indicated not guilty pleas to one count of assault by beating on a member of the public and one count of assault on an emergency worker.

He is alleged to have punched and spat at a civilian victim, who he has been told not to contact as a condition of his bail.

Jordan Thomas, 20, also from Hackney, indicated not guilty pleas to two counts of assaulting an emergency worker.

Marvin Henderson, 34, from Hackney, who chose to represent himself in court, indicated not guilty pleas to like charges.

Both were granted unconditional bail.

The court was told that during the alleged assaults, the officers were pushed and kicked, with PC Macpherson put into a headlock.

He suffered a cut elbow and irritation caused by pepper spray he used, the court heard.

All three men will appear at Wood Green Crown Court for a hearing on 10 July.