A 16-year-old boy was last night being hunted by police after a violent escape from Blackburn Magistrates’ Court.

Every available officer in the district was searching for the teenager from Blackburn, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

A court official needed hospital treatment after being kneed in the face, punched in the ribs and pushed down the stairs during the incident yesterday afternoon.

It is understood to be the first time anyone has escaped the 10ft-high perspex-enclosured dock.

The defendant, facing charges of attempted robbery, theft of £2,500, racially aggravated criminal damage and racially aggravated threatening behaviour, was about to be handcuffed after being remanded in custody by District Judge Peter Ward.

But police said he managed to break away from the security officer and on to the grille over steps leading down to the cells.

Officers said the court official was then assaulted, before the boy scaled the dock and dropped to the floor on the other side before fleeing from the building.

Police said a court corridor security officer tried to detain the boy, who is over six feet tall, but was punched in the face.

One eye-witness said then boy ‘pushed past security staff’ at the entrance and ‘jumped from the top step to the bottom’ before fleeing.

The teen had been taken to Blackburn Youth Court from prison yesterday morning on a number of charges, allegedly committed in March and April, also including possessing cannabis and smashing a takeaway window.

Court staff said it was the first escape since the partitions were put in place.

It happened in court two and the alarm was raised at 12.05pm.

A spokesman for G4S said there had been a struggle in the dock.

She said: “We are aware of an incident which took place today involving one of our custody staff. We are currently investigating the circumstances.”

Police could have asked the judge for permission to lift the boy’s right to anonymity for appearing in youth court.

But officers decided not to take the step which would have allowed them to issue his picture to aid their hunt saying they wanted to focus on their own inquiries.

Detective Inspector Jill Johnston said: “We are actively seeking him and have visited a number of addresses today to locate him.

"We have also made contact with his associates and family to seek information as to his whereabouts.”

Inspector Ilyas Mohmed said: “As he was in the process of being handcuffed and taken down to the cells, there was a struggle with a member of security.

"One of the security staff was assaulted and the boy climbed over the big glass panel and ran from court.

“Every available officer in Eastern division is actively looking for him.”

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