Teenager denies public order offence following incident involving woman who had flour and eggs thrown at her

A 17-year-old boy has been found guilty of a public order offence following an incident in Bury St Edmunds in July last year when a woman had eggs and flower thrown at her.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with using threatening or abusive words or behaviour towards a woman in the town last year but he denied the offence when he appeared at Ipswich Youth Court, on Thursday, November 1, 2018.

At Ipswich Youth Court yesterday, Wednesday, February 13, the boy was found guilty and is due to be sentenced on Thursday, March 7.

The offence took place at around 5.30pm in St Olaves Road, on Friday, July 27, last year, when a victim, a woman aged in her 40s, was assaulted by a group of teenagers who threw flour and eggs over her after a verbal altercation. The woman was severely distressed by the incident but was physically unharmed.

Four other teenagers, a 17-year-old, now 18, a 16-year-old and two 15-year-olds, one who is now aged 16, also all pleaded guilty to the offence in July at court on Thursday, November 1.

The 16-year-old also admitted possessing a Class B drug – cannabis when he was arrested and was fined £20.

All four youths were given 12-month referral orders and were ordered to pay £100 compensation.

Cohan Semple, aged 18, of Wilcox Avenue, also pleaded guilty to using threatening or abusive words or behaviour towards the woman, when he appeared at Ipswich Youth Court on Thursday, November 1.

He received a 12-month community order, was told to complete 60 hours of unpaid work and given a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. He was also ordered to pay £100 in compensation, an £85 victim surcharge and £85 in costs when he appeared at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court, on Tuesday, December 4.