A masked "yob" who terrorised a Bolton shopkeeper as part of a group of 20 to 30 youths during an afternoon of violence has avoided prison. Speaking in Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, September 19, the 17-year-old said he had originally just wanted to get a drink from the shop – eliciting a furious response from the judge who warned that he should not "test" her patience. The Bolton News applied to have legal restrictions on identifying the boy lifted, but this was refused by Judge Margaret McCormack due to the defendant's "complex background".
Under section 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, there are automatic restrictions on identifying defendants under the age of 18 in youth court. The teen's defence solicitor, Dan Gaskell, said publishing the identity of his client, who has previously been subject to a referral order for possession of a "bladed article", would risk that "he becomes a target himself". Sign up to our newsletters to get the latest stories sent straight to your inbox.
‘I now stand outside my shop out of fear’ Prosecutor Hannah Nicholls told the court that a "large group" of 20 to 30 youths continued to cause disruption, with their faces covered, in Bolton town centre on August 4, after most of the day’s demonstrations had concluded. The court was shown footage of a group of masked youths, including the boy, attacking AMZ convenience store on Great Moor Street. The court heard that members of the group shouted at the shop’s .