Teenagers fired catapults at vehicles on M4 motorway

The trio fired catapults at the vehicles from the footbridge over the M4 at Hermitage

Three teenagers who fired catapults at lorries, vans and a coach carrying children on the M4 motorway have been sentenced.

The trio targeted traffic from a footbridge near Newbury, Berkshire, in 2018, Thames Valley Police said.

Only "good fortune" prevented serious injury or death, the force said.

Tyler Inglut and Josh Rogers, both 18, got two years imprisonment suspended for two years. A youth, 17, was given a rehabilitation order for two years.

The teenagers - who were sentenced at Reading Crown Court on Friday - fired the catapults at several vehicles from the footbridge over the motorway at Hermitage, in June 2018, police said.

Inglut, of Sagecroft Road, Thatcham, Rogers of Sandstone Grove, Hermitage, and the 17-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, all pleaded guilty to criminal damage and recklessly endangering life.

Police said several vehicles were damaged in the attacks, in June 2018

Det Con Tara Hamilton said: "The reckless acts of Inglut, Rogers and the other boy were highly dangerous and caused damage to a number of vehicles.

"It was only by good fortune that nobody was seriously injured or possibly even killed.

"Traffic on that stretch of the motorway would have been quite heavy and fast-moving, and clearly throwing or catapulting items at vehicles is extremely dangerous. The actions of these three put people's lives in danger."

Inglut and Rogers were also ordered to complete 300 hours unpaid work and 35 days of rehabilitation activity, while the 17-year-old received a three-month electronically monitored curfew.