BBC
A 15-year-old boy has become the first person in England to be charged with riot in the wake of recent disorder across parts of the country.
The Sunderland youth, who cannot be named due to his age, is accused of riot following disorder in his home city on 2 August.
Rioting is an offence that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison – double that of a charge of violent disorder.
The teenager appeared at South Tyneside Youth Court where his case was adjourned until 2 September.
‘Raises complex issues’
The boy from Sunderland had initially pleaded guilty to violent disorder and burglary at a hearing on Saturday and was due to be sentenced earlier.
However, Northumbria Police said after “hundreds of hours” of CCTV footage was reviewed, detectives believed the boy was “allegedly involved in further criminality”.
It added the CPS was then given new evidence which meant when he appeared at court, his charges were upgraded to a more serious charge of riot.
While he is the first person in England to be charged, three men and a boy from Northern Ireland were charged at the weekend with riot.
Chris Wilson, defending the Sunderland boy, told the court the fresh charge “raises a number of complex issues and those issues may well have far wider repercussions”.
He said the situation “doesn’t sit comfortably with me, professionally or personally”.
Mr Wilson asked for an adjournment of two weeks to discuss the evidence with the defendant.
‘Confusing for you’
District Judge Zoe Passfield said the new charge must have come as a “surprise” to the boy, who sat at the back of the courtroom with his mother, with his father watching from the public gallery.
“It is an unusual situation when a new charge is brought after the person has pleaded guilty and it opens up complications that I and the lawyers need to consider carefully,” she said.
“I am sure what has happened today has come as a surprise, and will be confusing for you.”
PA Media/Louise Brown
Gale Gilchrist, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North East, said: “This defendant is one of a number of individuals who we expect will be charged with riot, and as these are live proceedings we remind all concerned that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”
Northumbria Police’s Assistant Chief Constable Alastair Simpson said those who took part in the unrest would be brought to justice, regardless of their age.
He added officers were still trawling through footage to build their evidence.
He said: “As that evidence picture continues to build, if it becomes apparent that an individual may have been involved in further criminality, they will be brought before the courts again and charged with the most serious offence possible.”
Additional reporting by PA Media.
