Thug, 14, who left gran for dead told to pay £20 f ine … in four years’ time

A GRANDMOTHER told of her anger yesterday after a teenage thug who left her for dead was let off with a £20 penalty.

Wendy Feast, 52, was clubbed over the head with a nailcovered piece of wood by the 14- year- old robber in an unprovoked assault.

She suffered horrific head injuries that required plastic surgery. She described the sentence on her attacker, who cannot be named, as ‘shameful’ and ‘a joke’.

He walked free from court with a 12-month referral order, which is similar to probation. He will have to do 36 hours’ unpaid work and must pay his victim £20 when he is 18, so Mrs Feast will not receive the paltry sum for four years.

The mother-of-four, from Blackburn, said: ‘I’m so angry, this sentence is disgusting. He should have been sent to prison. I can’t believe he was able to walk free from court.

‘I’m too afraid to go out. I frequently have panic attacks and I can’t sleep unless I take medication. It has ruined my life. I feel Victim: Wendy Feast in hospital ugly because of the scars this has left on my face. And I no longer feel safe in my own home.’

Mrs Feast, a shop assistant at an off-licence, was walking to work in January when the boy struck her several times with the improvised weapon. He stole the shop keys and her mobile phone, leaving her bleeding on the pavement. He then burgled the off-licence.

Mrs Feast managed to knock on a door to ask for help before collapsing. She was treated at Royal Preston Hospital for four gashes to her head, an open fracture to a finger and two black eyes.

The boy initially denied being involved when questioned by police but admitted robbery and burglary when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates this week.

Despite the violent nature of the assault, magistrates allowed the teenager back on the streets. Now Mrs Feast says she dare not go out for fear of bumping into him.

Her daughter Lindsey Feast said: ‘The sentence he received is disgusting. This is soft justice.

‘It sends out a message that you can just go and bash a woman’s head in and get away with it.

‘He nearly killed her. He should have been prosecuted for attempted murder.

‘If he had been an adult, he would have got ten years for what he did, but because he is a juvenile he was allowed to walk free.

‘It’s disgusting. My mum hasn’t done anything wrong and she feels she is the one being punished. She’s been left traumatised.’

Miss Feast, who was called to the scene of the attack on her mother, added: ‘All you could see was blood everywhere. Mum then had to have plastic surgery to the top of her forehead, top of her eyebrow and under her chin. We will continue to fight for proper justice and a tougher sentence.’

Lancashire Police declined to comment on the case.