15-year-old ‘gunman’ spared prison

A 15-year-old who brandished a fake gun on The Level, sparking an armed police response, has been spared prison.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also one of a gang of teens who beat up a security guard at the Co-op in London Road.

And later that day, he and other youths also beat up another teenager in New Road, with the 15-year-old punching the victim and hitting him with a bottle as others held him still.

But after hearing he had been working well with the youth offending team, Brighton Magistrates’ Court agreed to a referral order, requiring him to do more work with them for the next 12 months.

Prosecuting, Melanie Wotton said: “On Thursday 12 October, a Level CCTV operator sees the defendant apparently take out what it later transpires is a BB gun.

“Initially the CCTV operator sees him with a gun. It’s held as he walks towards other people holding it loosely by his side. He then lifts it up and points it a other young people before he puts it in a bag.

“Police attend, he’s arrested and the gun is recovered. The CCTV was reviewed and you can see him wandering into The Level and pulling out what appears to be a firearm.”

She said both the violent incidents happened on Monday 17 July last year, the first at the Co-op. He was charged with assaulting the security guard, Ibrahim Yousuf. But as the youth attacked in the second incident did not co-operate with police, that was charged as violent disorder alongside three other youths.

At the Co-op, the defendant was identified from CCTV, which shows Yousuf catching his leg as he tries to leave the store with items he hasn’t paid for.

He falls to the floor, but other youths then come and punch Yousuf in the head. The defendant also punches him in the face.

Ms Wotton said: “As a result, Yousuf had pretty horrendous swelling to his jaw. He was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital where there were concerns that his jaw was broken. It was not broken but he was in quite a lot of pain for a long time and could not eat at all.”

Later that day, the defendant and other youths see another group of young people sitting on the benches in New Road and go up and grab and punch one of them.

She said: “The defendant punches the boy while he’s being held and throws a bottle at him, causing a number of injuries. It’s all caught on CCTV and it’s pretty unpleasant.”

She said that on Thursday 14 September, the defendant was also seen by an off duty PCSO at The Level goading another man into a fight, saying come round the corner where there’s no camera.

And he had twice been caught on CCTV stealing items from the Co-op that month.

Defending, Madeleine Priestley said the gun was not a BB gun but a toy, owned by another youth.

She said: “All these offences are from last year and it will appear there has been some deceleration in his behaviour.

“He lives with his mum, and he’s under investigation for ADHD and autism. His behaviour is very much related to those needs. The family has been in the queue for CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) for more than two years. There’s a level of frustration and desperation from the mother – she wants some help.”

His social worker told the court there were concerns over exploitation and referrals had been made to the team which deals with modern slavery and county lines victims.

The boy told the court: “Things have changed for the better. I have stopped getting in trouble. I haven’t been arrested for a long time.

“I haven’t talked to (the people he had been hanging round with) for a long time.”

Presiding magistrate Alison Musker said: “The bench was quite split as these offences were so serious that you could have gone straight to prison.

“The only reason we have stepped back is because you are very young and this is your first time in court.”

He was given a 12-month referral order, which means he must engage with the youth offending team or go to prison.

He was also ordered to pay Mr Yousuf £100 compensation. Ms Musker said: “Your mother will have to pay that because you are only 15. We expect you to make it up to her because it’s not her fault she has to pay it.”