A mum who went on holiday to Ibiza rather than attending her son’s sentencing hearing for his role in riots has been ordered to pay compensation.
Her 12-year-old boy was said to have shown the “worst kind of feral behaviour” during two separate episodes of disorder in Manchester on 31 July and 3 August.
The 30-year-old mother was ordered to pay £1,200 compensation – approximately the same price as her holiday – and given a parental order.
The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, was handed a 12-month referral order and told had he been an adult he could have been sent to prison for between four and five years.
The boy admitted two separate episodes of disorder, the first when he was part of a mob that attacked a bus outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Manchester on 31 July.
Then just days later he was part of a group filmed kicking the windows of a vape shop and throwing a missile at a police van.
District Judge Joanne Hirst told the youngster at Manchester Magistrates’ Court he had displayed “the worst type of feral behaviour”.
His mother, who had told the judge her holiday to the Spanish island had cost £1,000, was ordered to pay £300 each to the bus driver, a housing officer at the asylum hotel, an asylum seeker who was on the attacked bus and a member of staff at the looted Sainsbury’s store.
The judge told her: “You know it’s approximately the same cost as your holiday to Ibiza.”
She also ordered the boy’s mother to take part in a six-month parenting course.
The boy, who has ADHD, was described as a “lovely affectionate little boy” by his single mother, but who had at times a “chaotic” home life.
He told the judge he was “sorry”, and now had help from social workers and had taken up boxing.
Under 18s appearing in youth courts cannot be identified for legal reasons so his mother cannot be named as that would lead to his identification.
The Crown Prosecution Service said in the disorder on 31 July at about 18:00 BST the boy was captured on CCTV as part of a group who became aggressive, throwing rocks and other missiles at police officers who were trying to protect the staff and residents of the hotel.
The boy was seen handing a rock to another boy at the scene.
Later, the group, who were in the road, stopped a bus full of passengers and the boy was seen on CCTV to kick out at the bus from his bike.
Widespread disorder broke out in towns and cities across the UK in July and August following the Southport knife attack in which three young girls were killed.
Additional reporting by PA Media
