A BOY of 13 accused of being part of a mini-crimewave gang who blighted a village was yesterday (June 7) banned from entering any shop in England and Wales without an adult – and he might get a membership card to do fitness activities.
A youth court at Llandudno imposed an 18 months’ prohibited activity, which also bans him from being in public with two young burglary accomplices.
There are also 24 reparation hours.
A youth rehabilitation order was made for 18 months.
Court chairwoman Ann Dickinson said the offences were serious and had a “huge effect” on some individuals and an effect on the community.
The boy received an indefinite restraining order to protect a Rhos-on-Sea man subjected to threats and shouts of “paedo” after he took snaps of youngsters kicking fence panels outside his home.
Prosecutor James Neary said the innocent man complained of more than two years of harassment by youths and he’d stayed at a Llandudno hotel for 11 days because he was so scared.
The man said the ongoing abuse had “destroyed my life.”
He added in a statement: “All I have done is stand up to a group of youths damaging things and from that moment had nothing but threats and abuse.”
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The accused boy admitted six thefts from the Co-op, causing harassment, alarm or distress, causing £4,000 damage at an infants’ school at Rhos-on-Sea when youngsters punched holes in a Polytunnel, and stealing goods worth £5,000 in a burglary at a Llandudno shop.
Mr Neary said shops had “enormous problems” with gangs who helped themselves to stock.
Staff had been unable to prevent the thefts, but the boy had been identified from CCTV footage.
The prosecutor added that “wanton destruction” had been caused at the school.
Hannah Davies, defending the boy, said members of the group, individually, weren’t malicious or horrible, but when together, they encouraged each other to misbehave.
“It’s only now he’s starting to realise there are consequences for his actions,” she said.
There was a possibility of him getting a “Ffit” membership card, which normally cost £17.35 a month.
The court chairwoman told the boy, whose family must pay £450 compensation: “I hope you do feel ashamed about the spate of crime.”
She warned it would get “harder and harder” for him if he ignored the court’s requirements.
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