Operation kickabout: Two policemen, a patrol car, the force helicopter and thermal imaging equipment... all to find boy who kicked his ball into a greenhouse

Tom Clarke accidentally kicked a ball over a garden fence, smashing a window pane in a greenhouse



When schoolboy Tom Clarke accidentally kicked his football through a neighbour’s greenhouse, he might have expected a scolding.

But 30 minutes later a police patrol car, two officers and the force helicopter armed with thermal imaging cameras were on his trail, in scenes reminiscent of a Hollywood manhunt.



And when officers tracked down the 15-year-old, he was told the mishap had been recorded as criminal damage and could be revealed to future employers carrying out record checks.



His furious father insists the schoolboy has never been in trouble before and branded the police reaction ‘extremely heavy handed’.



But police – and the owner of the greenhouse – have not backed down and Tom fears the incident could derail his hopes of becoming a teacher.

The football fan was having a kickabout with his cousin in a pub garden in Chalgrove, Oxfordshire, when the problem started.



He kicked the ball and – like countless schoolboys before him – watched in horror as it looped over a garden fence and smashed through a pane of glass in the greenhouse.



Unsure what to do next, he went into the pub, unaware of the dramatic chain of events about to unfold.



Greenhouse owner Bobby Cellar, 67, called Thames Valley Police who logged the complaint as criminal damage.

Half an hour later two uniformed officers in a patrol car were leading the search for the culprit, and they asked the force helicopter for help.



Witnesses said the helicopter hovered at 20ft as it scanned the area for the miscreant.

The teenager made an apology to the greenhouse owner but has now been told he faces a lifelong 'criminal record'

When an officer found Tom in the Crown Pub, he apologised and his father Darrin offered to pay for the damage.



But days later police sent a letter to his father Darrin saying the youngster had ‘accepted responsibility for criminal damage’.



Officers said the incident was not a formal caution or criminal conviction but would be ‘recorded for future reference’ and could be seen by future employers carrying out an enhanced Criminal Record Bureau check.

The letter also said Tom could face an anti-social behaviour order if his ‘behaviour does not improve’.

Chalgrove, near Oxford, where Tom Clarke kicked a ball through a greenhouse and sparked a full-scale police hunt

It said: ‘This is an indication that the behaviour of your son may need addressing to prevent repeated or more serious offences.

‘If he is dealt with by police for other offending behaviour it is possible that he could receive a reprimand, a final warning or even be prosecuted in court.

‘In certain circumstances if the behaviour does not improve, police may apply for an Acceptable Behaviour Contract or to a court for an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.’

Tom’s father Mr Clarke, 42, a bus driver, accused police of over-reacted to a ‘stupid accident’, saying: ‘It was like something out of the Keystone Kops.’

He added: ‘Tom is a good lad, he’s never been in trouble with the police or at school and he works hard. Now he’s been told his future work life is at risk because of a stupid accident playing football. It’s extremely heavy handed.’ Over the top: Thermal imaging cameras in a police helicopter, similar to this one, went looking for Tom

Tom said: ‘My cousin passed me the ball and I stuck my foot out, and the ball spun off my ankle. The ball flew over the fence and hit the greenhouse.



‘I’m gutted it’s going to be on my record, I had thought about being a teacher when I’m older but that might not happen now.’



Pub manager Emma Arnold said: ‘It was a gross over-reaction. Since when did a youngster accidentally kicking a ball into a greenhouse become criminal damage?’



And villager Doug Coles, 65, said: ‘They weren’t aiming at the greenhouse. It clipped his foot, looped over the fence and hit the greenhouse. He couldn’t do that if he tried. Accidents happen in life.’



But greenhouse owner Mrs Cellar said: ‘Someone could have been in the greenhouse at the time and got hurt. In my mind it’s criminal damage and that’s the law, I just wanted to see justice done.’



A police spokesman defended the use of the helicopter, saying: ‘Thames Valley Police would not deploy the force helicopter for low level crimes such as criminal damage.



However if the helicopter is already airborne and in the area they may be asked to assist by officers on the ground, as happened in this case.’



The spokesman added: ‘It would be extremely unlikely for Thames Valley Police to release the details of this incident in any CRB check and we will be reviewing the contents of template letters issued by our Youth Justice department in light of this.’