Teenager ‘sorry’ for mugging opera star
SINGER ATTACKED AND HAD PHONE STOLEN ON WAY TO REHEARSAL
A 15-YEAR-OLD girl who mugged opera singer Katherine Jenkins wants to apologise to her in person.
The teenager attacked the 39-yearold when the singer was on her way to a rehearsal for a charity Christmas concert in Chelsea.
The Welsh Mezzo-Soprano stepped in to help an older woman being attacked.
The young girl thought the singer was filming the incident and charged at her, knocking a drink out of her hand and snatching her phone before fleeing. Miss Jenkins got in a police van and pointed out her attacker after they drove round the area.
The £500 iPhone was later recovered with a cracked screen.
Mrs Jenkins was in London to sing at the Henry van Straubenzee Charity Carol Concert, at St Luke’s Church.
The teenager, who appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Monday, spoke softly and quietly as she entered guilty pleas to robbery and assaulting a police officer.
The court heard how the girl had accompanied another 15-year-old to a job interview at a hairdresser before the attack.
The pair were seen on CCTV, shown to the court, trying to take an elderly woman’s bag before the defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, lashed out.
Robert Simpson, prosecuting, said: “It was in the King’s Road, London. Miss Jenkins was walking in the street, she had a drink in her hand and was using her mobile phone.
“She saw the defendant being involved in a struggle with another lady trying to take her bag.
“She believed the defendant thought she was filming her and moved towards her, knocked the cup out of her hand, took her phone, and made off round the corner with it.
“She made a telephone call to the police. They arrived and put Mrs Jenkins in their van and took her in the direction the girl had gone.
“The two girls were identified to the police and the phone recovered, but at that point the screen had been broken and there had been a clumsy attempt to remove the SIM card.”
CCTV footage played to the court showed the two girls attempting to take a bag from a woman.
When Miss Jenkins stepped in the teenager charged at her. Liquid could then be seen spilling into the air.
Sabrina Fitzgerald, defending, said her client was remorseful.
She said: “She attended the area because she was with a friend who had a job interview at a hairdressers.
“They set out with positive intentions. Unfortunately she made a very poor decision. She first took the phone because she thought she was being filmed.
“She is very sorry, she is ashamed of her actions. This was a month ago and she has had to live with the shame of her actions. She is on course for A grades, or grade six as it is called nowadays.
“There are some issues around peer pressure and poor decision making skills.”
District Judge Susan Williams asked the teen whether she would be prepared to make an apology in person to her victim.
The teenager replied: “I could apologise. I know that’s not going to make up for what I did.”
The 15-year-old was handed a six month referral order, meaning she will have to attend sessions with the youth offending team to address her behaviour. Her mother was also ordered to pay £20 compensation.
Concluding, District Judge Williams said: “If you were 18 and not 15 and you committed that offence you would be sent to a young offenders’ institution and locked up for several years.
“It a real shock when you get mugged. It has happened to me and it has happened to this lady.
“It happens an awful lot in the streets of this city.”
It’s a real shock when you get mugged. It has happened to me and it has happened to this lady
District Judge Williams