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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| London bus attack: Boys told couple 'to show how lesbians have sex' | London bus attack: Boys told couple 'to show how lesbians have sex' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A group of boys who subjected two women on a bus to homophobic comments "wanted to be shown how lesbians have sex", a court was told. | A group of boys who subjected two women on a bus to homophobic comments "wanted to be shown how lesbians have sex", a court was told. |
| Melania Geymonat and Christine Hannigan were harassed and pelted with coins by the boys in north London on 30 May. | Melania Geymonat and Christine Hannigan were harassed and pelted with coins by the boys in north London on 30 May. |
| Three boys, aged 15, 16 and 17, admitted public order offences on Thursday. | |
| A judge ruled homophobia was behind the 17-year-old's involvement, after he had contested this. | |
| At Highbury Corner Youth Court, he was sentenced to a four-month youth rehabilitation order, a 20-hour reparation requirement, similar to community service, and a two-week curfew. | |
| The other two boys, who did not contest the prosecution's case, will be sentenced next month. | |
| Ms Hannigan had told the court they were targeted "because of who they were". | |
| 'Homophobic comments' | 'Homophobic comments' |
| She added: "We were clearly together in a romantic sense, we were being affectionate. | She added: "We were clearly together in a romantic sense, we were being affectionate. |
| "It is pretty intimidating being cornered and making homophobic comments. | "It is pretty intimidating being cornered and making homophobic comments. |
| "They wanted us to show them how lesbians have sex. They said 'show us' and I don't remember if it was on its own or part of a larger phrase but the words were said." | "They wanted us to show them how lesbians have sex. They said 'show us' and I don't remember if it was on its own or part of a larger phrase but the words were said." |
| When asked whether the teenagers were being aggressive or annoying, Ms Hannigan replied: "I think they were being both. | When asked whether the teenagers were being aggressive or annoying, Ms Hannigan replied: "I think they were being both. |
| "They were being extremely aggressive verbally and then they made it physical." | "They were being extremely aggressive verbally and then they made it physical." |
| Defence solicitor David Wood said although the boy threw coins and made a kissing gesture at the couple, the action was not based on their sexual orientations. | Defence solicitor David Wood said although the boy threw coins and made a kissing gesture at the couple, the action was not based on their sexual orientations. |
| "He was 17 and just being stupid," Mr Wood said. | |
| "They have got over excited in a puerile, immature way over the fact that these women were in some sort of relationship." | |
| Passing judgment, District Judge Susan Williams 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." |