Basingstoke teenager sentenced to 12 month Detention & Training Order

A 16 year old Basingstoke youth has been sentenced to a 12 month Detention and Training Order (DTO) after admitting causing grievous bodily harm to a 19 year old man in an unprovoked attack and to being involved in a serious affray that resulted in injury to a 17 year old boy.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to four offences when he appeared before Basingstoke Magistrates Court at the end of last week.

They were:

* Causing grievous bodily harm with intent

* Affray

* Handling stolen goods

* Breach of bail conditions

The youth admitted causing grievous bodily harm to the 19 year on July 12, 2019. The court heard the victim was with a friend and his girlfriend, walking across the playing fields at Down Grange in Basingstoke at around 9.30pm.

They were approached by a large group of 10 - 15 youths. The victim was punched around the head and his baseball cap was snatched. He was hit again around the head by the defendant, who had a belt in his hand. The victim believed the buckle of the belt caused his injury - a 2cm laceration that required medical attention.

The group of friends were able to run off and reported the incident to police. A search of the defendant's home revealed the stolen baseball cap.

The youth was sentenced to a six month DTO for this offence and was also ordered to pay the victim £50 compensation.

The youth also pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, namely the Kenzo baseball cap, on July 12, 2019. For this offence, he was also sentenced to a six month DTO, to run concurrently.

He also admitted affray on June 25, 2020, at The Longbridge Mill, Reading Road, Sherfield-on-Loddon.

During this incident, a 17 year old male was attacked by several youths including the defendant. The affray happened on a warm day  in a grassed area by Longbridge Mill where lots of people, including parents with children, were out enjoying the sunshine. The violent incident caused distress to those who witnessed it as well as injury and trauma to the victim, who sustained concussion and swelling to his face.

The defendant was sentenced to a further six month DTO - to run consecutively, therefore the full order is for 12 months. He was further ordered to pay the 17 year old victim in that incident £50. 

The youth further admitted a breach of court bail conditions but no further penalty was given for that offence.

A Detention Training Order means that half the sentence will be spent in custody and the other half in the community by supervised by the Youth Offending Team.