Police 'forgot' about Wolverhampton riot teenager

Wesley Cox was visiting relatives in Wolverhampton when riots broke out in August 2011. He was arrested but then heard nothing more after being released on bail, until earlier this year he was the victim of an aggravated burglary in London, where he lives.

This brought him back to the police's attention and he was subsequently charged, the court was told.

Judge Michael Challinor told Wolverhampton Crown Court that sentences handed out after the riots would have seen Cox sent to jail – but that the long delay meant he had to reduce the sentence.

He had walked away with a £100 computer system and £75 wireless internet router belonging to Sunitek in Broad Street, which was ransacked by rioters who looted £50,000 of stock.

Other rioters that targeted the shop have been jailed for up to 10 months.

But Judge Challinor handed Cox, who is now 20, a four-month sentence suspended for 12 months, telling him: "Had you been dealt with in a timely fashion you would have gone to prison but there has been a completely unexplained delay of two years."

Mrs Kate Thomas, defending, told the court that Cox, of Lambeth Road, London, had been 'brought back into the system' when he was victim of the aggravated burglary, and added: "It appears the police forgot all about him."

Cox, who now works for Lambeth Council, was arrested on the ring road at Stafford Road at about 6.20pm on August 9 just hours after Sunitek had been raided.

He was carrying the loot in a holdall, said Mr Howard Searle, prosecuting. Mr Searle said he had 'no information' explaining the delay in dealing with Cox, who admitted handling stolen goods.

Judge Challinor added: "I don't publicly criticise anyone for the delay – it just seems to be an oversight." The summer of 2011 saw masked rioters bring terror to the streets of towns and cities across the country including Wolverhampton.

West Midlands Police spokesman Lee Page said Cox failed to answer bail and was then registered on the Police National Computer as wanted. He added: "We have systems in place to identify, track and locate individuals who fail to appear. Our search for people suspected of being involved in the August 2011 riots continues."