Ooops! You are 13 years old and frollicking in the snow - having a snowball fight.
CRUNCH! TINKLE! That sinking feeling when you know you broke something .... only this time it was not the kitchen window and a ticking off from Dad ... but 13 year old Amy took out the quarter light of a police car!
(per today's "Telegraph" and "Mail":
Amy Hodges snowball missed her friend an d made contact with the quarter light of a passing car instead. Only ...
the car happened to be driven by an off-duty BiB.
She spent 4 hours in a police cell because of it.
The off duty officer held her in his car whilst he called for uniformed back up. Three police officers duly arrived and carted a terrified 13 year old off the the local nick.
She was swabbed for DNA, finger printed and a mug shot taken ...
Note to our lurking friends - chucking stones at cars ... jolly japes - eh? Well - this proves it ain't regarded as such by the Plod! Feel sorry for the child and her parents - as this was clearly an accident
Her astonished mother came to the station and the mother and child were informed that Amy had to be reprimanded (which stays on file for 5 years) or be charged with criminal damage, and end up in court.
All she did was aim a snowball at her pal and miss!
Moher came out with the classic line: "Have they nothing better to do?"
Makes a change from hiding in a bush with a hairdryer 
Chucking things at cars is more serious than speeding in any case! The shock may have caused the officer to lose control of the vehicle and run over Amy .
.But still. let's not forget - it was not deliberate on Amy's part - and I think the police should have regarded it as such really.
All very well to take a tough line over anti-social behaviour - but this is a bit over-zealous perhaps as it appears as a genuine accident.
Amy was held last week after a light snowfall in Kent. She was on her way to school and there was just enough snow for a snow fight. Apperently, there were stones in the small ball she scooped into her hands (Good job she actually missed her pal then!)
After the snow smashed the window, poor old Amy did what many little girls of that age do - she panicked and ran - only for the cop to call her back in stern voice. He produced his ID, and arrested her - telling her pals to tell the teachers what was happening.
Within minutes a marked police car driven by a WPC arrived - followed by a second one with two officers.
By gum - they don't come that quick if there is someone ransacking the house! 
Amy's Mum (occupational health worker) was contacted at work, and admits that Amy is not perfect, but not a girl who damages property.
Who really has a perfect child anyway? Mine are not angelic and test us all the time - and have broken the kitchen window whilst playing football; our six year old almost caused kitten number five to come early last summer when he kicked a ball onto the roof and calmly got out the ladders and climbed up to retrieve it. The twins are always getting detentions at school for cheeking the teacher - but this is normal and expected behaviour. Something would be wrong if a child did not try you out!
Both parents rushed to their highly distressed daughter - but only the mother was allowed to sit with her tearful daughter.
Amy's mum told the paper that if Amy had not been approaching SATS (upon which her GCSEs are estimated), then they would have gone to court over this. As it is, the family plan to lodge a compalint over the high-handed attitude over a genuine accident and not a deliberate act.
It was bad luck for Amy that it was a police car - but lucky that no one was in the rear of the car.
I do not think she will play snowballs again - and the moral of of the story is really to check your snowballs for stones before you throw 'em.
But should she have been given a criminal record for this? I do not think so on this occasion.
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