Racist teen 'tagged'

Derek Bellis

October 07, 2008

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A WELSH teenager who racially abused and hurled stones at a holidaymaking family from Bolton because they were English has been 'tagged'.

The 16-year-old was placed on a two-year community order and given a curfew forcing him to stay at home between 8pm and 6am for three months.

He will wear an electronic tag to ensure he obeys the order.

At a previous hearing, he admitted racially-aggravated threatening behaviour at Blaenau Ffestiniog and an unrelated assault on his girlfriend.

Lee and Paula Owen, from Bolton, vowed they would never to return to Wales after rocks were thrown at them by the `hoodie' while they waited to catch a train on the Ffestiniog railway in August.

One rock hit Mrs Owen on her arm and narrowly missed a two-year-old girl in a pushchair. Mrs Owen was awarded £150 compensation.

Mr Owen, a 32-year-old plumber, telephoned police and tried to photograph the youth near the railway station.

He was met with a torrent of abuse and was told that Blaenau Ffestiniog was his town and the English should stay away.

Prosecutor Mel Hughes, at Dolgellau youth court, described it as abhorrent behaviour by the youth.

Mrs Owen ended up in hospital at Bangor and the family cut short their holiday in Wales.

Court chairman Mrs Dorothy Hughes said the public would be better served by a long community order rather than custody.

John Parsons, defending, said: "My client's parents want me to say that they want to write to the Owen family to apologise and say that there would never be a repetition of what occurred."

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Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (07/10/2008 at 07:26)

I personally would NOT have hesistated to jail this kids;humanrights don't come into it,kids like him deserve a custodial sentence to send out a clear warning to other teens and kids that "if you behave like this you WILL face the consequences of a custodial sentence".

Longsight Lover from Liverpool, Longsight, near Liverpool (07/10/2008 at 09:04)

Tagged?! That will stop him, eh?!?!

Emjay See (07/10/2008 at 10:11)

Send him to Rhyl. Or hang on that is too harsh a punishment for anyone.

Esso Blue, Oil incorporated, Manchester (07/10/2008 at 12:04)

No singing in the valleys for him between 8-pm 6-am
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Al Capone (07/10/2008 at 13:11)

Should have stuck the tag through his tongue.

Rt Hon Dr Rev MC Spanner MP QC FCA FRICS JP OK (07/10/2008 at 16:56)

"I personally would NOT have hesistated to jail this kids;humanrights don't come into it,kids like him deserve a custodial sentence to send out a clear warning to other teens and kids that "if you behave like this you WILL face the consequences of a custodial sentence".

Oh the irony. Accrington's finest who has admitted supporting the BNP and says its OK to beat up kids thinks a rowdy teenager should be jailed for racism.

Cappa (07/10/2008 at 16:56)

Dont be too harsh on the lad (we shouln't mock the afflicted) he is Welsh after all

BluePolarBear, ex of Stockport (07/10/2008 at 21:54)

I think you've hit the nail on the head, Rev Spanner.The ultra sensitivity and pain felt by boorish racists,when the boot is on the other foot,shows what a childish mentality they have.
As for this lad,im glad he didn't get away with it..racism is racism,and the same rules must apply to us all.
Racism, is a demonstration, of an arrested development..it also shows a person, who has allowed themself, to be misled and kept ignorant

Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (08/10/2008 at 07:48)

Well YOU MCspanner think kids who do this should be condoned and be softly softly nurtured;he is a thug and you refuse to realise that!!!(not that you care because you don't).

PW, Manchester (08/10/2008 at 09:17)

I am sorry to say I have also encountered less than friendly receptions when in Wales. In one village, we had to leave a pub as the local yobs were spoiling for a fight with our group. It was because we were English. Most Welsh people are ok and sensible, but some do have a bee in their bonnet. Definitely not good for their tourist trade, and without that I'm sure they would struggle. It's really blind hatred.

Rt Hon Dr Rev MC Spanner MP QC FCA FRICS JP OK (08/10/2008 at 11:06)

"Well YOU MCspanner think kids who do this should be condoned and be softly softly nurtured;he is a thug and you refuse to realise that!!!(not that you care because you don't). "

Please don't try and tell me what I think. I am not the BNP supporter who thinks this man should be jailed for RACISM. When you are a parent rather than a waste of skin, then come and tell me about parenting

Odbod, warrington (08/10/2008 at 13:14)

As part of my stag-do we ended up in a pub in Bala, north wales. Very drunk, very loud. Could have proved a bit tricky had the locals not been such a friendly and welcoming bunch. We ended up taking them on in a cross border table football and pool challenge - beat them soundly on all counts and had a thoroughly great time. They are not all like this lout!

Marc (08/10/2008 at 13:32)

I've spent many happy holidays in Llanbedr and Harlech and always found the locals to be wonderful and friendly. If you look closely enough you'll find idiots and toerags anywhere in Britain.

Anthony , Accrington,Lancashire (08/10/2008 at 13:36)

MC Spanner is a children rights dogooder who sticks up for and condones this person!

Vera City (08/10/2008 at 14:07)

If he was taken to task because he threw stones at them because they were English, would it have been OK to do it if it was simply on the basis that they came from Bolton?

That's not racist against the English; it's town specific prejudice.

Rt Hon Dr Rev MC Spanner MP QC FCA FRICS JP OK (08/10/2008 at 14:37)

Accrington,

Are you five years old?

I am more than happy to stick up for the rights of children when appropriate. The fact that you cannot separate that from this story is a sign of the little education you and most BNP supporters tend to have.

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