10 year old hero
22 February 2011, 06:00 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
A ten-year-old boy who challenged a group of youths after they threatened an elderly woman has been commended by British Transport Police.
Joshua Rains, aged 10 from Aslockton, Nottinghamshire was gardening with an elderly member of the public in her garden near to Aslockton railway station in October 2010 when a car became stuck on the crossing. When Joshua went to assist, a group of youths who were loitering at the station began to abuse him. He challenged their behaviour.
One of the group, a local 25-year-old man who was well known to police, then began to abuse and intimidate the elderly lady. When Joshua stepped in to intervene and challenged the man’s comments, he was subjected to a torrent of abuse.
Josh told Capital: " Obvioulsy I don't like seeing people getting abused, like and old man or old woman, so I just stepped in." He told us he wasn't scared and just reacted on instinct.
The police were called and the man was arrested.
Inspector Mark Clements of BTP said, “Joshua was very courageous in standing up to the man, who is well known to police, and who was acting very threatening and abusive to himself and to the elderly lady. Often adults who are faced with challenging situations like this will choose not to get involved. Joshua was really brave in standing up to the man, and his evidence helped to convict him."
