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| Boy, 17, sentenced over London night bus harassment | Boy, 17, sentenced over London night bus harassment |
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| Judge finds teenager’s actions were motivated by sexual orientation of two women | Judge finds teenager’s actions were motivated by sexual orientation of two women |
| A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to a four-month youth rehabilitation order for his part in the harassment and intimidation of two women on a late-night London bus in an incident which became the focus of concerns about the targeting of LGBTQ+ people. | A 17-year-old boy has been sentenced to a four-month youth rehabilitation order for his part in the harassment and intimidation of two women on a late-night London bus in an incident which became the focus of concerns about the targeting of LGBTQ+ people. |
| One of the women told the court of her fears when she and her date were “physically cornered” by a group of teenagers and subjected to demands to show them how lesbians have sex. | |
| “It was scary and, frankly, I deal with a lot of harassment in London,” Christine Hannigan told Highbury youth court on Friday. The court viewed CCTV footage of an incident that became the focus of global attention when an image showing the two women looking shocked and covered in blood in its aftermath went viral. | “It was scary and, frankly, I deal with a lot of harassment in London,” Christine Hannigan told Highbury youth court on Friday. The court viewed CCTV footage of an incident that became the focus of global attention when an image showing the two women looking shocked and covered in blood in its aftermath went viral. |
| She said she had initially ignored the teenagers – and had pretended to be sick while the other woman, Melania Ramirez, attempted to “de-escalate” the situation – but engaged with the group after coins began to be thrown and the incident escalated into a scuffle. | She said she had initially ignored the teenagers – and had pretended to be sick while the other woman, Melania Ramirez, attempted to “de-escalate” the situation – but engaged with the group after coins began to be thrown and the incident escalated into a scuffle. |
| “Melania and I were clearly together in a romantic sense,” said Hannigan, who added that the teenagers had made a “scissoring” gesture which was taken to be homophobic. | “Melania and I were clearly together in a romantic sense,” said Hannigan, who added that the teenagers had made a “scissoring” gesture which was taken to be homophobic. |
| “They were being very aggressive verbally and then they made it physical.” | “They were being very aggressive verbally and then they made it physical.” |
| Giving evidence from behind a screen, Hannigan said verbal abuse was common and she had experience of that escalating into something physical. | Giving evidence from behind a screen, Hannigan said verbal abuse was common and she had experience of that escalating into something physical. |
| On Thursday, three teenagers, aged 15, 16 and 17, admitted harassing and threatening Hannigan and Ramirez in the early hours of the morning on 30 May on the top deck of a bus in Camden. The judge, Susan Williams, said the couple had caught the teenagers’ attention because they were a same-sex couple. | On Thursday, three teenagers, aged 15, 16 and 17, admitted harassing and threatening Hannigan and Ramirez in the early hours of the morning on 30 May on the top deck of a bus in Camden. The judge, Susan Williams, said the couple had caught the teenagers’ attention because they were a same-sex couple. |
| However, evidence had to be given in court on Friday after one of the accused, 17, denied his actions had been motivated by hostility based on the women’s sexual orientation. The other three were bailed for sentencing at later dates. | However, evidence had to be given in court on Friday after one of the accused, 17, denied his actions had been motivated by hostility based on the women’s sexual orientation. The other three were bailed for sentencing at later dates. |
| Williams found that the 17-year-old’s role in the incident was motivated by hostility towards their sexuality. | Williams found that the 17-year-old’s role in the incident was motivated by hostility towards their sexuality. |
| Passing judgment she said: “I am quite sure this was a hostile act. However, I also have to be sure that you were hostile because Ms Hannigan was a lesbian. | Passing judgment she said: “I am quite sure this was a hostile act. However, I also have to be sure that you were hostile because Ms Hannigan was a lesbian. |
| “In other words that you were picking on her because of who she was and not just fooling around. I have come to the short conclusion that is exactly what you were doing.” | “In other words that you were picking on her because of who she was and not just fooling around. I have come to the short conclusion that is exactly what you were doing.” |
| She added: “Those two ladies were being harassed, pestered and intimidated because of who they were. | She added: “Those two ladies were being harassed, pestered and intimidated because of who they were. |
| “I am quite sure you were joining in that behaviour.” | |
| The 17-year-old was sentenced to a four-month youth rehabilitation order and is barred from contacting his co-defendants over the same period. | The 17-year-old was sentenced to a four-month youth rehabilitation order and is barred from contacting his co-defendants over the same period. |
| He will also face a 20-hour reparation requirement, similar to community service, and a two-week curfew. Williams also suggested he write a letter of apology to the two women. | He will also face a 20-hour reparation requirement, similar to community service, and a two-week curfew. Williams also suggested he write a letter of apology to the two women. |
| After Hannigan and Ramirez went upstairs and took seats at the front of the bus, CCTV showed the teenagers quickly moving from the back and taking up positions near the women in what the judge said was “like the tide washing in”. | After Hannigan and Ramirez went upstairs and took seats at the front of the bus, CCTV showed the teenagers quickly moving from the back and taking up positions near the women in what the judge said was “like the tide washing in”. |
| Over nine minutes, the incident escalated into a scuffle before the teenagers got off and the women were left bloodied and without belongings, including a mobile phone. Both were taken to hospital for treatment to facial injuries. | Over nine minutes, the incident escalated into a scuffle before the teenagers got off and the women were left bloodied and without belongings, including a mobile phone. Both were taken to hospital for treatment to facial injuries. |
| The prosecution said the women’s sexual orientation was an aggravating factor. | The prosecution said the women’s sexual orientation was an aggravating factor. |
| David Wood, a solicitor representing the 17-year-old, took Hannigan through a police statement made shortly after the incident in which she told of standing up and telling the teenagers: “Keep throwing coins and see what happens.” | |
| She said in the statement she had walked down the bus and had been immediately punched by one of the teenagers. Hannigan, who was shown throwing a punch on CCTV footage of the incident, told the court on Friday her recollection of who threw the first punch was not accurate. | |
| But while her memories of the night may have been different from what she said at the time, Hannigan told the court that the coin throwing was the start of physical hostilities. “It turned into a fight because they were becoming physically aggressive with us,” she said. | |
| Giving his evidence on Friday, the teenager said he had approached the women later than the rest of the group did because the conversation seemed “friendly”. | Giving his evidence on Friday, the teenager said he had approached the women later than the rest of the group did because the conversation seemed “friendly”. |
| He was asked by his solicitor: “Did you throw the coin because you thought those two women were gay?” | He was asked by his solicitor: “Did you throw the coin because you thought those two women were gay?” |
| “Of course not,” he replied. | “Of course not,” he replied. |
| Wood said the teenager was immature and not motivated by hostility when he threw the coins at Hannigan. “He was 17 and just being stupid,” he said. “They have got over excited in a puerile, immature way over the fact that these women were in some sort of relationship.” | Wood said the teenager was immature and not motivated by hostility when he threw the coins at Hannigan. “He was 17 and just being stupid,” he said. “They have got over excited in a puerile, immature way over the fact that these women were in some sort of relationship.” |
| Ramirez told the court: “I am from Latin America where you have to live with this sort of behaviour from people. In this instance I felt intimidated because there were several of them.” | Ramirez told the court: “I am from Latin America where you have to live with this sort of behaviour from people. In this instance I felt intimidated because there were several of them.” |
| In such circumstances, she said, “I have this habit of making light of the situation in order to establish empathy from the people so they will stop bothering me.” | In such circumstances, she said, “I have this habit of making light of the situation in order to establish empathy from the people so they will stop bothering me.” |
| On the bus, she learned that one of the teenagers had parents who were from Ecuador and engaged with him by speaking Spanish but she and Hannigan continued to be harassed. She remembered Hannigan passing in front of her and that there was a struggle going on. | On the bus, she learned that one of the teenagers had parents who were from Ecuador and engaged with him by speaking Spanish but she and Hannigan continued to be harassed. She remembered Hannigan passing in front of her and that there was a struggle going on. |