Youngest looter sentenced for arson five days before rioting
An 11-year-old looter stole a £50 bin in the London riots just five days after being sentenced for a separate offence of arson and criminal damage, a court heard.
The boy, who cannot be identified because of his age, is thought to be the youngest rioter sentenced in connection with the London riots and one of the youngest involved in the disturbances that swept England.
It emerged that five days before the theft on August 8, he had been given a ten month referral for criminal damage, arson and carrying a bladed weapon.
He was already under a referral order, put in place at the same court on August 3, for an incident on July 18 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 11-year-old threw a stone at the exit door of the route 174 bus, and then kicked a hole in the shattered glass so that he could jump out while the bus was still moving.
He pleaded guilty to theft earlier this month after stealing a £50 waste bin from a Debenhams in Romford, Essex.
When arrested by police the youngster, who appeared before magistrates five days before the riots for another offence, claimed he was getting it for a friend.
The boy was on a issued on August 3 just five days before police nabbed him outside Debenhams.
Because he pleaded guilty to the offence, a further charge of violent disorder was dropped.
Johan Rainbird, prosecuting, said: "This offence is related to the large scale disorder that happened across London.
"At 10.30 pm on August 8 in Romford Market place police saw 20 to 30 males together smashing windows.
"An officer was sat in his vehicle outside Debenhams he spotted the defendant kneel down in front of the windows which had all ready been broken.
"He saw him lean across the window and steal a bin.
"He ran off and the officer gave chase down market place where the defendant dropped the bin.
When arrested the boy said 'I was just taking it from someone else'.
"A security office identified the bin as belonging to them and the value of the bin was £50.
"The damage to the smashed window was in the region of £6000."
At an earlier court appearance his mother dragged the boy kicking and screaming into the courthouse.
The boy who wore tan trousers and a black jacket was again accompanied by his mother who did not leave his side.
He was sentenced at Havering Magistrates' Court in Essex today after previously admitting burglary.
Passing sentence, District Judge John Woollard said: "You seem to think that nobody can stop the way you behave."
The boy was placed under an 18-month youth rehabilitation order, and told that his local authority will dictate where he lives for the next six months.
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telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8732751/Youngest-looter-sentenced-for-arson-five-days-before-rioting.html
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