Teenagers who 'behaved like a pack of wild animals' during 'vicious assault' captured in viral video jailed
TWO teenagers who admitted involvement in a “vicious assault” on Bangor pier, the video of which went viral, have been jailed.
Ordering 19-year-olds Cora Campbell and William Boyd to spend half their 32 month sentences in custody and half on licence, Newtownards Crown Court Judge Geoffrey Millar QC also ordered their 17-year-old co-accused who cannot be identified due to her age, to complete 120 hours of community service.
Sentencing the trio and lifting reporting restrictions on the media, the judge told them that when they attacked their teenage victim, they had “behaved like a pack of wild animals after their prey”.
Campbell, Boyd and the teenager all pleaded guilty to causing their victim actual bodily harm in the attack in Bangor pier on 20 April last year.
Opening the Crown case on Tuesday, prosecuting counsel Laura Ievers outlined how the defendants had been drinking with a group of around 15 people when their victim arrived at the pier.
The complainant said that “everything was fine” and they were having a good time but she was approached by Campbell who “punched her and grabbed her by the hair”.
She was shouting: “Do you still want my boyfriend now” and “Why did you kiss him,” said Mrs Ievers adding that during the video recording of the attack, Boyd was heard shouting “break her nose” more than once and was filmed pouring beer and vodka “into the victim’s eyes and throat”.
Describing how the victim was punched 30 times in the video, the lawyer said the girl “thought she was going to be drowned in the sea”.
Arrested and interviewed after the video of the attack was posted online going viral with millions of views, Campbell, with an address at English Street in Downpatrick, admitted the assault but claimed she didn’t think “it was that bad,” until she saw the video footage of the incident.
Boyd, from Sunnyside Drive in west Belfast and the 17-year-old girl also admitted their involvement.
As well as the custodial sentences, Judge Millar also imposed a three year restraining order while the 17-year-old must “write a letter of reflection” to her victim.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Hughes said in a statement: “This was clearly a traumatic ordeal for the victim and I hope it gives them some measure of comfort that the perpetrator has been found guilty.”
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