– Teens sentenced for burglary and vandalism at Rainford High School
– Teens convicted for breaking into and vandalizing Rainford High School.
Accident – Death – Obituary News : The youthful pair caused a substantial £150,000 worth of destruction, yet they were both acquitted from court today (Tuesday, June 18) following the issuance of the maximum punishment – a 12-month referral order.
District judge James Hatton informed them: “Due to your age and the gravity of the offenses, I am constrained to impose a youth referral order. This is not to downplay the seriousness of the situation,” he remarked, noting that the 13-year-old boy’s actions were inexplicable and the girl’s motives were deemed “quite pathetic.”
Judge Hatton emphasized: “You inflicted significant damage that had repercussions for individuals going about their daily routines in the ensuing days. This also had a profound impact on the school in terms of financial expenses, increased insurance premiums, and disruption for pupils unable to utilize the facilities you vandalized. All because of sheer boredom and a foolish notion.”
Merseyside Youth Court heard that the duo, both residents of St Helens, were identified through social media posts showcasing their acts of vandalism within the premises.
Michael O’Kane, the prosecutor, revealed that on the afternoon of Saturday, November 25 last year, the caretaker at Rainford High Technology College in Higher Lane, Rainford, became aware of suspicious activities prompting calls to be made from the school. Despite police intervention, the young offenders had absconded by the time law enforcement arrived, but their online presence facilitated their identification.
Substantial damage at the school included smashed toilets, flooding from taps left running, discharge of fire extinguishers, furniture strewn across classrooms, and irreparable damage to a photocopier. Multiple classrooms were ransacked, leading to an insurance claim exceeding £150,000. Additionally, the school incurred a £500 insurance excess as a result.
The pair, whose identities are shielded by automatic reporting restrictions in youth court cases, pleaded guilty to charges of burglary and criminal damage. The girl also confessed to causing £180 worth of damage to a Ford Focus on April 12 this year by shattering the rear window with a padlock.
The owner of the vehicle, Sam Helsby, a football coach, discovered the vandalism while inspecting the pitch at the Bold Miners Club in St Helens, where he noticed youths loitering and subsequently went to secure the premises, only to find the padlock missing. The girl was identified as the perpetrator, but when approached for compensation by Mr Helsby, her father offered no reparation.
Her solicitor, Patrick Heald, highlighted her clean record and cited the presence of various personal challenges in a report.
Judge Hatton queried the boy, who attends a different school and has no prior convictions, about his reaction upon finding his school in a similar state. “Not good,” he responded. Acknowledging the boy as the instigator of the plan, the judge commended his honesty.
When asked if it was a “moment of madness,” the boy conceded to the judge. The girl, on the other hand, justified her participation in the scheme by citing boredom as the primary motivation.
“You are depriving people of the right to enter their school and benefit from education because of the havoc you wreaked,” Judge Hatton admonished the girl. He underscored that while they faced challenges, these did not absolve them of their actions.
The judge mandated £430 compensation from the girl and £250 from the boy, to be deducted from their fathers’ unemployment benefits, with both dads present in court. He stressed that the debt was legally that of the parents but morally belonged to the defendants, suggesting that it be repaid through pocket money or the forfeiture of gifts.
In closing, Judge Hatton cautioned the duo that any breach of the referral order would result in severe consequences..
– Teens sentenced burglary vandalism Rainford High School
– Teens sentenced burglary vandalism Rainford High School incident.
