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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

DS 17 got arrested last night

91 replies

SareWall · 17/07/2022 15:29

DS 17 was riding around on his motorcycle last night with a friend on the back. They had smoked some weed. A police car was behind them and the friend put his hands over the number plate and he tried to out run the police car.

They eventually got hemmed in and stopped. The friend ran away and my son was arrested and spent the night in the cells. He has been drug tested which will come back positive, he has been told he will face a driving ban for 3 years. He has also been told if he tests positive for drugs (he knows he will), he may go to prison for a year.

I’ve cut my holiday short to come home but I just don’t know how to respond to this. Is there anyone else who has been in a similar situation?

OP posts:
MrsMitford3 · 17/07/2022 15:33

I don't have any personal experience to help but remember hearing something on Radio 4 about what rights minors have in this sort of situation-just make sure he has the representation/advice/support that he is entitled to.

Obviously a bloody stupid thing to do but you don't need to be reminded of that-hopefully the experience will be one that he learns from...

I think I'd have come back too if I were you-good luck!!

girlmom21 · 17/07/2022 15:35

I'd just let the law do its job. Do you pay for his motorcycle or does he?

Plinkton · 17/07/2022 15:35

Get a decent lawyer

Greensleeves · 17/07/2022 15:36

Oh, I’m so sorry, it’s an awful situation to be in. My 17yo was stopped and searched a few months ago (all his mates ran away) and was found to have a small bag of weed on his person. He was brought home in a police van, not arrested, but they issued a youth caution two weeks later. I was gutted. I think all you can do is cooperate, encourage him to be respectful and contrite, and hope that they’re giving him the worst case scenario to try and scare him straight. I’m no expert but I would have thought prison was unlikely for a first offence? I can only offer a handhold really, it’s a horrendous feeling Flowers

BigFatLiar · 17/07/2022 15:38

Give him the help he needs and just be grateful he didn't kill himself or someone else.

MintJulia · 17/07/2022 15:38

If it's a first offence then I doubt he'll get a custodial sentence. More likely a ban, a big fine and at the very most, a suspended sentence.
Hopefully your ds will have to sell the bike to pay his fine, and learns that drugs/bikes don't mix. And that trying to outrun the police is for half-brained idiots.

He's lucky he wasn't killed.

Sorry but he needs to learn - quickly !

mm40 · 17/07/2022 16:05

He won’t go to prison. He will get a driving ban.

Jessbow · 17/07/2022 16:10

Riding a motorbike whilst under the influence is not the best idea.
Running from the police, likewise.

I assume he has a licence for the motorbike, otherwise carrying a passenger will go against him too.

\bn & hefty fine coming his way, I doubt the would imprison him ifhe has a clean record so far.

I would be so angry with him if he was mine

TenRedThings · 17/07/2022 16:14

He'll get a ban and a big fine. He will not go to prison unless he's got a history of offenses

xyzandabc · 17/07/2022 16:20

As a first offence, I highly doubt it will end in a prison sentence.

For what it's worth, my brother was banned for 3 years at age 18 for drink driving. He crashed in to a parked lorry, wrote his own car off but was uninjured himself and didn't injure any one else.

It was the best thing that could have happened. Taking him off the road for 3 years while he matured and grew up a bit, and learned how hard it could be to not have a car at your beck and call. Had he not been banned there is a fair chance he would have ended up injuring or killing either himself or someone else.

hopefully it will be a lesson that your son can learn from and move on from being thankful that it's just a fine and a ban.

JimmyShoo · 17/07/2022 16:49

What has he been charged with so far? He’s committed a few different offences there.

I think prison is unlikely but hopefully his punishment gives him a reality check as to the enormity of his actions. He could have killed himself or others.

I can imagine how worried you are, make sure he gets good legal representation.

rwalker · 17/07/2022 16:57

Just take a back seat these offences are quiet straight forward .My guess a ban and fine .
As fuck ups go it's major due to the implications of no licence limiting opportunities and to get it back nightmare and insurance through the roof .
He will be taught and learn a big lesson .
Be amazed if he gets sent down.
at 17 he'll have to face whats coming to him

Tee20x · 17/07/2022 17:01

I wouldn't say ban for 3 years. More likely to be a year - wouldn't say custodial sentence either. More likely to be a fine, some form of community order if judge is feeling particularly harsh.

Wombat27A · 17/07/2022 17:02

And hope it won't be on Channel 5 in due course...sounds perfect Police Interceptors material.

Why did he think he'd be able to outrun plod on a scooter?

Check they acted appropriately re the interview but otherwise nothing you can do.

Notanotherwindow · 17/07/2022 17:05

It's resisting arrest that is going to fuck him over if anything. He put a lot of people in danger by forcing the police to pursue him. They won't take kindly to that. If he gets a huge fine and loses his licence I'd say he got off more lightly than he deserves.

Point out to him that he could have killed someone with his stupidity. Honestly if he thinks that driving while stoned is in any way acceptable, prison would probably do him good, at least knock some bloody sense into him.

Right here is the proof that weed rots your brain.

BurscoughBooths · 17/07/2022 17:07

He’ll be dealt with in the youth court. He’ll be banned from driving - length of ban will depend on how far over the limit he was/whether he’s charged with dangerous driving too.
The sentence will be a referral order under which he will have to work with the youth offending service. They will focus on why he has done this, and the consequences that could arise from drug taking

Ponderingwindow · 17/07/2022 17:08

Hire the best legal representation you can to help him navigate the judicial system. He will have to face the consequences of his actions, but you can try to help him do that maturely and hopefully in a way that minimizes the impact on his future.

Thereisnolight · 17/07/2022 17:08

Sorry if I sound critical but…which is worrying you more? The fact that your DS is facing penalties or that he was driving dangerously (it sounds like) while on drugs, and could have killed himself and/or someone else? Because I know which would worry me far more if it was my DS.

girlmom21 · 17/07/2022 17:08

BurscoughBooths · 17/07/2022 17:07

He’ll be dealt with in the youth court. He’ll be banned from driving - length of ban will depend on how far over the limit he was/whether he’s charged with dangerous driving too.
The sentence will be a referral order under which he will have to work with the youth offending service. They will focus on why he has done this, and the consequences that could arise from drug taking

There's no limit with weed. You're either under the influence or you're not.

ohblowmedown · 17/07/2022 17:12

Hopefully he will learn his lesson and be grateful he didn't kill himself or anyone else.

Roselilly36 · 17/07/2022 17:16

Driving ban, that will effect him getting motor insurance lifted, this may also come up if he wants to travel to the US with his ESTA application. Very much doubt he will get a prison sentence, as thank goodness he hasn’t killed an innocent person.

takeitandleaveit · 17/07/2022 17:27

This could so easily have ended differently.

Twizbe · 17/07/2022 17:30

You tell him he was bloody lucky not to kill anyone.

He cooperates with the police and you'll help him find support to get away from drugs.

The motorbike gets sold.

JaniceBattersby · 17/07/2022 17:37

Tell him not to say anything (although I guess he already has..) until he’s spoken to a solicitor.

If they charge him with driving under the influence of drugs and leaving the scene then it could be quite serious.

It’s unlikely he’ll go to prison but if he does it’ll be a YOI. Does he have a full licence and insurance and was it a road-legal bike or an off-roader?

maddy68 · 17/07/2022 17:48

He won't go to prison if it's a first offense. He will be fined and banned

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