A 14-year-old boy with a firework at a riot told the police, “I wasn’t aiming them at you”
Hundreds of people have been arrested during riots across the country, with dozens appearing in court today accompanied by additional prosecutors as the judiciary strives to meet Sir Keir Starmer’s demand for swift justice.
Home affairs reporter Henry Vaughan is at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court, where some of these cases are being heard. Here’s his latest report…
A 14-year-old boy has acknowledged his “foolish and silly” behavior after pleading guilty to violent disorder related to the rioting in Liverpool city centre, the court has heard.
The teenager, from Liverpool, was part of a group of eight to twelve males who were igniting fireworks and aiming them at the public and police officers near a B&M branch in Clayton Square, which had already been looted on Saturday night, the court was told.
The boy, who cannot be identified due to his age, was captured on CCTV holding a firework. Upon arrest, he told officers, “I’m sorry, I wasn’t firing them at you.”
The court heard that he has no prior convictions and has never been in trouble with the police before.
His lawyer, Iqbal Singh Kang, described the incident as “completely out of character for him and his family.” The boy’s father and uncle were present in court.
Kang explained that the youngster had gone to the city centre to catch a bus and, amid the “widescale disorder across the city,” got involved with strangers who were distributing fireworks.
Kang noted that the teenager was held in police custody for two days, adding, “Now that he’s had time to reflect, he understands how foolish and silly he has been and wishes he could turn back time.”
The teenager was granted bail with the condition that he does not enter Liverpool city centre, ahead of his sentencing on 27 August.
