15-year-old girl detained for boy’s robbery

A 15-year-old girl who took a knife into Oldham town centre has been detained for her part in a robbery last December.

Oldham Youth Court heard how the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was part of a trio which surrounded a 14-year-old boy and took his mobile phone.

She appeared with her 15-year-old male accomplice at the court on Friday.

District Judge James Prowse said he had a public duty to impose custody on the girl, described as having a substantial criminal record including violent crime.

Prosecutor Diane Oliver told the court the young male robber pulled out a Stanley knife in a bid to terrify his victim. Fearing he would be stabbed he handed over his mobile. He was not injured.

The boy’s defence solicitor said he had found the weapon in the street. But Judge Prowse said it was “very clear” the girl had taken the knife from her father’s house.

He said the boy, of previous good character, had taken the lion’s share of the blame having been in a relationship with the girl. Sentencing him to an intensive referral order, supervision, a curfew and ordering him to complete a victim awareness course, the judge said the sentence would be a “severe wake-up call”.

The court heard how the girl was under conditional discharge when she took part in the robbery, having committed arson at a police station in October last year. Her past offences include burglary, robbery and common assault.

Defence solicitor Chris Fallows said he didn’t consider all hope for her to be lost and hoped the Youth Offending Service could help her.

But judge Prowse disagreed and said: “My public duty overtakes welfare issues. This is a very serious offence involving a knife that would have left the complainant extremely frightened.”

He sentenced the girl to a four-month detention training order, two months of which will be served in custody and two months on license.

A hearing to consider whether or not to impose an anti-social behaviour order on the girl will be held next month.

A 13-year-old girl who made up the trio was last month put on probation for 10 months and her mother was ordered to pay £95.