Boy sentenced after missiles thrown in riot
BBCA 16-year-old boy has been given a referral order after taking part in last summer's rioting in which 400 missiles were thrown at police in Hull.
The boy, who was 15 at the time and cannot be named for legal reasons, was caught on CCTV hurling objects, damaging shop windows and stealing items from a Lush store in Hull city centre on 3 August.
At Hull Magistrates' Court earlier, which was sitting as a youth court, the teenager admitted burglary with intent to cause damage and burglary with intent to steal. He previously admitted violent disorder and theft at a previous hearing.
Judge Mark Daley heard the boy had played a "very active part" in the unrest.
Violence erupted across England following the fatal stabbing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport, Merseyside, on 29 July.
In Hull, a hotel was targeted, police officers were attacked, shops looted and cars were damaged and set alight as a demonstration descended into angry unrest.
Prosecutor Mr Dhinsa said the boy had "actively armed himself" during the disorder.
Video clips of the teenager were played in court, in which he could be seen smashing the windows of Shoezone and O2 stores.
In one clip, he could be seen lifting items from a Lush store and adding them to a basket before walking out. In another he is seen throwing a bath bomb at a wall inside the same premises.
In other footage, the boy was seen on Jameson Street pushing two large wheelie bins and throwing missiles among a mob, which included John Honey, who was jailed for his part in the riot.
The prosecutor said police officers were "outnumbered" by those taking part in the violent unrest with tens of thousands of pounds of damage caused to the city that day including £220,000 worth at the Lush and O2 stores.
However, the boy "wasn't involved in all of it", said Mr Dhinsa.
The court heard the boy was handed in to the police by his parents after his mother received a phone call from a family friend who had seen the teenager in videos. When she confronted him about it, her son said: "I was there when it happened but I didn't throw anything."
In mitigation, solicitor Jason Nicholson said the youngster went to the city centre "out of curiosity and didn't know anybody there".
"He was drawn into the activity and he takes full responsibility for his actions," he said.
Sentencing the boy to a 12-month referral order and a £26 surcharge, Judge Daley heard how he had "let himself down and his family".
The teenager's father told the court how it had "affected the family".
"I think he's just been rebelling," he said.
"It's hard for all of us."
Listen to highlights from Hull and East Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.