Youth detention for bike damage and headbutt

Sunday 20 August 2023

A teenager who pushed over and damaged motorbikes and headbutted an innocent bystander at North Beach just before Christmas has been sentenced to five months youth detention.

The Magistrate’s Court was told how an off-duty police officer had seen Bradley Smith (19) shouting and swearing at his mobile phone by the motorbike area at around 19:00 on 23 December.

He then pushed over three bikes and jumped on them causing criminal damage, Crown Advocate Fiona Russell said.

Another teenager in the vicinity approached the area shortly after and noticed the knocked over bikes, but not Smith. 

At that point Smith “ran out of the toilets” while still shouting at his phone and headbutted the man in the face before running off.

Multiple witnesses were in the area, and the events were reported to police. 

Smith was arrested by officers walking towards Salarie Corner shortly after. He gave no comment answers at interview but did say he had consumed 10 pints. He pleaded guilty to the charges In July this year.

Crown Advocate Russell requested compensation exceeding £1,000 for the damage caused to the motorbikes.

Pictured: The offences occurred at North Beach car park. 

Advocate Alan Merrien, defending, said Smith had been in town for a meal and drinks with work colleagues. His level of drinking meant his recollection of events had vanished and he was unable to explain why any of it had happened.

Smith was concerned as to what he did and the “people who have suffered as a result”, he added.

Multiple references provided to the court from family and friends detailed surprise at his actions which were deemed to be out of character and that he was not the same person who committed the offences.

Judge Gary Perry gave credit for Smith’s early guilty pleas and noted his unrelated previous convictions but said “however unexpected” it was an “appalling incident… particularly for the innocent member of the public”.

He added that it was “pure chance” the headbutt didn’t “cause more serious injuries”.

There were no reasons to persuade Judge Perry to suspend the sentence and given the circumstances a custodial sentence was justified.

Smith was given four months youth detention for the assault and one month for the criminal damage. He was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to the assault victim, but compensation for the damaged bikes wasn’t requested.