Boy, 14, sentenced over Harehills disorder

The cost of the disorder in Harehills has been estimated at £850,000

A 14-year-old boy who helped overturn a police car during disorder in Leeds last summer has been handed a youth rehabilitation order.

The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, posed for a photograph in front of the upturned vehicle as troubled flared in the Harehills area on 18 July.

The boy, who was 13 at the time, was also part of a crowd who threw missiles at police officers.

The defendant, who was found guilty of violent disorder at a trial last month, continues to deny being present during the trouble, Leeds Youth Court was told on Wednesday.

Representing the defendant, John Ratcliff told the court he had tried to persuade the boy it would "help" his case if he was "willing to admit his involvement" given the "strength of the evidence".

He added: "Unfortunately, and that's from my perspective, he is still maintaining that he was not involved."

Speaking through an interpreter in court, however, the boy's father said he was "sorry" on his son's behalf.

The court had earlier been told how the disorder had started when social workers were removing children from another family in the Harehills area under a family court order.

When police arrived they were attacked by a crowd, which included the teenager, who was pictured on CCTV throwing pebbles.

He was also seen throwing a football, which struck an officer on the arm, it was said.

As the trouble continued, a bus was set on fire after its driver and passengers abandoned it, and other property was vandalised and set alight, although there was no suggestion the boy was involved in those incidents.

The overall cost of the disorder and the clean-up has been estimated at £850,000, the court was told.

District Judge Charlotte Holland said that although the teenager had no previous convictions, his pre-sentence report suggested there was a "high" likelihood of him committing further offences without involvement with the Youth Justice Service.

Sentencing him to a 12-month order, she told the defendant: "What happened on that day was serious and we need to make sure you never commit offences like that again."

The teenager's family was also told to pay £100 to cover the costs of his trial.

Addressing the boy's father, Judge Holland added: "He will have to help you out with jobs around the house, to make sure he pays you back."

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