A teenage thug who bottled a Korean student in a racist attack in Brighton has been sent to a young offender institution for nine months.
Bradley Garrett, 18, attacked Yehsung Kim with a champagne bottle while his friend Louis Barrett hurled racist abuse at the Sussex University student in October 2017.
Mr Kim, 23, needed dental work costing more than £2,000 after losing teeth when he was attacked in North Street, Brighton, on Sunday 15 October 2017.
He was 20 at the time of the attack which took place four days before Garrett’s 16th birthday.
Garrett admitted attempted GBH (grievous bodily harm) with intent in August last year.
He was originally sentenced last October. But there was an error and he was sentenced as though he were an adult instead of as a youth – meaning that he had to be resentenced in January.
The second time, Judge Stephen Mooney ordered Garrett to complete 160 hours of unpaid work in the community and made him subject to a three-year youth rehabilitation order.
He was also banned from entering Brighton and Hove and given an overnight curfew for two months.
But Garrett broke appointments and failed to turn up for work so the probation service brought his case back before the court.
He was due to have been sentenced last week but – not for the first time – Garrett failed to turn up in court. A warrant was issued for his arrest.
This afternoon (Tuesday 13 October), less than a week before he turns 19, Garrett was in the dock at Lewes Crown Court and faced justice once more.
In mitigation, his barrister Richard Barton said: “He’s a troubled young man. He has his difficulties, some of which are of his own making, such as the drink and drugs.”
Mr Barton said that Garrett had ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and urged the judge to give him the shortest possible sentence.
Judge Mooney told Garrett: “We meet again – and it’s a sad day really.
“You have been in a fortunate position where you have been given many opportunities.
“It’s because I hoped that you would be able to turn your life around that I took the chance that I did.
“I am disappointed that you didn’t take the chances that I gave you (and) I must sentence you for a serious offence.”
Judge Mooney imposed an 18-month detention and training order, telling Garrett that he would serve nine months in a young offender institution as the punishment element before being released on licence.
These judges are so out of touch with reality, he should’ve banged him up the first time without hesitation for that totally unprovoked and unpleasant assault – no doubt other people have suffered in the interim as a result of his weak sentencing.
And no doubt many more will suffer once the thug is released. The judge said that it was “a sad day really”. What is really sad is the numberr of pathetic sentences he himself handed out.
costs the tax payer £43,000 a year per prisoner. We need to be sensible and also think about the cost of locking up 83,0000 people each year.
What a joke.
Justice not served.