Teen in gang that attacked same-sex couple on bus has sentence extended
A 16-YEAR-old boy who harassed a same-sex couple on a London night bus and then stole one of their handbags after they refused to kiss has had his sentence increased because of his “homophobic” actions.
Melania Geymonat and Christine Hannigan were subjected to homophobic slurs and gestures by a group of teenagers shortly after 2.15am on May 30.
CCTV of the incident shows that the pair were surrounded and hit with coins before a fight broke out while they were travelling on the top deck of the N31 bus in north London.
The attackers, aged 15, 16 and 17, admitted targeting the women shortly before they were due to go on trial last month.
Appearing at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court yesterday, the 16-year-old was given an eightmonth youth referral order, increased from six months due to the homophobic nature of the attack.
He was also fined £100 and ordered to pay a £20 surcharge.
The youth, who cannot be named due to his age, admitted using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress against the two women.
He also admitted the theft of Ms Geymonat’s handbag and handling Ms Hannigan’s stolen phone.
Both the handbag and phone were recovered after the teenager was arrested at his home in south London.
Andrew Mooney, mitigating, said the 16-year-old had not thrown coins or made homophobic gestures like his co-defendants.
However, chair magistrate Peter Bullet increased the sentence due to the homophobic nature of the incident in general.
Mr Bullet said: “By all accounts, this was an unpleasant situation with offences committed by a large group in the early hours in a public space against two women on their own. It would seem it was both a homophobic trigger and the context for this offending behaviour.”
Addressing the court after his sentencing as part of a restorative justice programme, the 16-year-old accepted he had hurt the two victims.
The 17-year-old youth denied joining in with the two other boys and harassing the women because he thought they were lesbians. However, last month a judge rejected his claim and found he was motivated by hostility towards the women, based on their sexual orientation.
He received a four-month youth rehabilitation order and supervision.
The third boy, aged 15, will be sentenced on Monday.