By Ben Kerrigan-
A teenager has been sentenced after a group attack against another boy was recorded in a video that went viral.
The 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced at Barkingside Youth Court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to grievous bodily harm.
The 15-year-old victim came to the park to buy cannabis but owed money to an older man living on the defendant’s street. The man can be heard in the video asking the victim “Do you have the money?” The question was put on speakerphone. After that, the man proceeded to instruct the group to “smack him”.
The court heard that the man threatened the defendant and reminded him that he knew where he lived. The defendant told magistrates he was sorry and wished to apologize to the family of the boy. The family of the boy reported several death threats over the incident and were afraid of leaving their home.
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The boy’s mother described the effect this had on the family as “a nightmare” and telling magistrates that her son had gone through “a bad time”.
In November 2016, one of his friends was stabbed and after appearing in court as a witness, the defendant threatened to “carve him up”. Threats for giving evidence in court are common place on the streets of Britain, and in fact many parts of the world. However, this young man took the chance and told his story in court.
At the time of the July attack, the defendant had not started work with a youth offending officer.
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Described in court as “deeply-intelligent, hard-working, polite and studious, but an anxious person”, he took eight GSCEs and is hoping to go on to study architecture at university.
“He no longer speaks to the other boys and is trying to move on. There is more to him than these offenses,” his solicitor told the court.
The bench chairman told the teenager he had passed the custodial threshold and both attacks were “very serious”.
“If ever you break the rules again, you will be going down those stairs to prison. Keep yourself out of trouble, keep working and respect your family and your values. I don’t want to see you back here again,” he added.
Since starting his previous referral order, the teenager has not missed one appointment and has found employment. He attended court today with £200 in his pocket, anticipating he would have to pay compensation to the victim.
He was sentenced to an 18 months referral order with the youth offending service, under supervision, and a curfew from 8pm to 6am for the next two months. He is also due to pay £205 in compensation and court costs.
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