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London riots: Boy, 11, sentenced over bin theft in Romford | London riots: Boy, 11, sentenced over bin theft in Romford |
(40 minutes later) | |
An 11-year-old boy has been given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order for stealing a bin during the recent riots. | |
The child, from Romford in east London, is the youngest rioter in London to face prosecution, according to police. | |
He committed the offence just five days after being given a referral order for arson and criminal damage over an unrelated incident. | |
The youngster took the waste bin, which was worth £50, from Debenhams in Romford on 8 August. | The youngster took the waste bin, which was worth £50, from Debenhams in Romford on 8 August. |
Cut bus seats | Cut bus seats |
Havering Magistrates' Court was told a group of "males" had smashed the windows of the store, causing £6,000 of damage. | |
A policeman spotted the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, reaching in to take a bin that was on display, magistrates heard. | A policeman spotted the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, reaching in to take a bin that was on display, magistrates heard. |
The boy, who admitted burglary, was given an 18-month youth rehabilitation order, and told that his local authority would dictate where he lives for the next six months. | |
He was already under a referral order, put in place at the same court on 3 August, for an incident in July when he cut the seats of a bus with a Stanley knife and tried to set fire to the exposed foam. | |
When the driver would not let him off, the boy threw a stone at the exit door of the route 174 bus and then kicked a hole in the shattered glass so he could jump out while the vehicle was still moving. | |
Passing sentence, District Judge John Woollard said boy, who sat in court next to his mother, had been involved in "major disorder" just days after appearing before magistrates. | Passing sentence, District Judge John Woollard said boy, who sat in court next to his mother, had been involved in "major disorder" just days after appearing before magistrates. |
He said: "My view is that the offence is a very serious one. | He said: "My view is that the offence is a very serious one. |
"If you were a little older you would be ending up in prison, you would be looked after there rather than elsewhere. | "If you were a little older you would be ending up in prison, you would be looked after there rather than elsewhere. |
"You need to understand very clearly that you can't get away with committing offences of this nature." | "You need to understand very clearly that you can't get away with committing offences of this nature." |
Children's charity Barnardo's has voiced its concern over courts which punish children of this age for "minor offences", calling it "counterproductive". | |
Chief executive Anne Marie Carrie said: "The evidence shows that after a year, half of boys and girls at this age who are sentenced in court will have re-offended and their experience within the criminal justice system increases the likelihood that they will go on to commit further crimes." | |
She called on the government to invest in "more effective ways to stop youth crime, such as whole-family approaches like family intervention projects". | |
The Metropolitan Police has made 2,124 arrests following the disorder earlier this month, with 1,221 people charged. | |
Of those people charged, 263 were juveniles. | Of those people charged, 263 were juveniles. |