Maida Vale Teen attacker fractured girl’s jaw "in moment of madness' - but avoids jail sentence

Published: 23 April 2010
by JAMIE WELHAM

A SCHOOLBOY who fractured a girl’s jaw in “a moment of madness” was allowed to keep his freedom by an Old Bailey judge.

The boy, 15 at the time, was near to tears as Recorder Jeremy Benson QC told him: “I am not going to put you in custody.”

The attacker, now 16, and the victim, also 16 and from Maida Vale, cannot be identified because of their ages. He admitted causing her grievous bodily harm on August 12 last year in a Maida Vale park.

The prosecution said the girl had been punched in the face so hard that a witness standing nearby heard it. The victim collapsed to the ground bleeding from the mouth but struggled to her feet and made her way to her aunt’s address nearby.

No motive or reason was given for the attack.

The student spent three days in hospital where her jaw was pinned. She is still in pain and now lacks confidence, the court heard.

Recorder Benson said the assailant had shown full remorse and had confessed losing his temper and hitting out. The boy was sentenced to a six-month intense supervision order, tagging and 12-hour home curfew.