As their 22-year-old victim lay curled in a ball, the boys kicked him nearly 50 times and one stamped on him twice. The incident began when they threw a bottle of urine at the man and his female friends last Christmas.
He was at Snow Hill and told the gang, aged between 14 and 15 at the time, that they ‘should be at home doing their homework’.
Their response, which was captured on CCTV and played to the court yesterday, was to punch him to the floor and launch a volley of kicks. Crown Advocate Conrad Yates said: ‘He curled up into a ball to protect his head. All he recalled was a flurry of legs and fists, and the girls screaming. Fortunately the injuries were not serious, but that must be more luck than judgment.’
Although Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith agreed that the affray had been intimidating to the witnesses, he decided against youth detention for all but one of the defendants, who cannot be named because they are all under 18.
Five were sentenced to community service ranging from 95 to 170 hours, while one was sentenced to six months’ youth detention. Three of the boys were also put on probation.
‘It would appear there was no sufficient provocation for the attack which took place,’ said Commissioner Clyde-Smith. ‘It is not an exaggeration to say you acted as a pack of animals on this occasion.’
All six boys admitted affray on 19 December and yesterday their advocates told the court that they were remorseful.
