A 15-year-old boy who stole vaped and hurled beer kegs through windows while at the ‘forefront’ of a riot has admitted his part in the violence.
The youth became involved in the disorder in Sunderland on Friday August 2, where his appalling behaviour was caught on camera.
He appeared before South Tyneside Magistrates’ sitting at Newcastle Crown court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to violent disorder and burglary, relating to theft of vapes from a shop.
Prosecuting, Lesley Burgess said: ‘This arises from the Sunderland disorder on August 2, where 100 people were in attendance.
‘In respect of (this youth) I am going to say that he was at the forefront of what has taken place.
‘He is quite easily identifiable on all of the footage because he is not wearing a top and he has some bright orange shorts on.
‘The footage shows (the youth) pick up a couple of beer kegs. He is throwing beer kegs through windows.’
The court heard how the youngster, who can’t be named for legal reasons, also entered a vape shop and was seen throwing items at the police as well as ‘kicking out at windows, causing these to smash’.
Ms Burgess added: ‘The violence goes on for a long time and (he) is picked up in different areas of Sunderland continuing to offend.’
Defending, Chris Wilson told the court the youth had recently been diagnosed with autism and ADHD and can act ‘impulsively at times’.
He added: ‘For someone so young he was very frank when interviewed by police.
‘He is a young man who appears in court this morning without conviction or caution.
‘He was awoken by police yesterday morning at 8.30am. He has had a short, sharp shock from being in custody.’
Regarding the rioting, Mr Wilson added: ‘He was overtaken at that time by what was going on and became involved in it.’
The youngster was supported in court by his parents, who appeared emotional at times.
At the start of the hearing District Judge Kate Meek told him she would explain everything in simple terms as it was important he understood proceedings.
She also made it clear to the court that he had not been at the ‘forefront’ of the riot in any kind of organisational role.
Remanding him to the care of the local authority, she said: ‘What you have done is very serious and I am not sure what will happen in the end.’
Philip Cawthorne also appeared at the court after he was seen on footage captured by a police bodycam and mobile phone ‘throwing items’ during the widespread unrest in the city. The 38-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge of violent disorder.
Referring to his case, Ms Burgess said: ‘There have been a number of disorder matters taking place in the local areas including Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Darlington.’
She told the court Cawthorne took part in the Sunderland riot and was ‘very much involved’ in ‘throwing items’ during the violence.
She added that he was caught on a police bodycam as well as mobile phone footage.
Ms Burgess said: ‘The whole incident has resulted in damage to cars, windows were smashed at a local police station and that does not even start with the damage caused to stores.’
District Judge Kate Meek told Cawthorne, of Southend Road, Sunderland: ‘I am satisfied the case must be sentenced at the Crown Court.’
She added: ‘I am remanding you in custody.’
Cawthorne is an ex Army chef who served in Iraq and was jailed for two years in 2013 after he smuggled cocaine and cannabis into Acklington Prison.
In 2018, he pleaded guilty to and was convicted of sending communications conveying false information.
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay £300 in compensation after he called his MP’s office over problems with receiving his benefits and ended up telling a staff member he was going to ‘go down to the House of Commons and kick the s**t out of them’.
The 15-year-old boy will next appear at South Tyneside Youth Court on August 15 while Cawthorne is due at Newcastle Crown Court on August 20.