"Road to Damascus moment" for bike thief who sent "menacing" Snapchats

Wednesday 28 June 2023

A teenager who threatened to break every bone in the body of a fellow student at his school via Snapchat while on probation for stealing bicycles has realised a "life of crime is not for him" after his latest brush with court.

The Youth Court heard that the boy, who cannot be named, and two other teenagers stole the bikes from the Castle Quay car park on the evening of 27 January and rode off on them.

One of the bikes was worth £4,500 and the other was valued at £520. Both were later recovered undamaged.

The teenager was caught on CCTV. He at first gave false information to police but later made a full admission and was given a 12-month probation order on 21 February.

However, Legal Adviser Samantha Morris, prosecuting, said that the youth breached the order by making numerous threats via social media site Snapchat to another pupil at his school.

She said: "One message read, 'Your family will die.' Another said, 'I’m going to break every bone in your body.'"

He pleaded guilty to sending threatening messages.

Advocate Chris Baglin, defending, said the youth had expressed "genuine remorse" and added: "This has been a road to Damascus moment for him. He realises that a life of crime is not for him."

He also said: "I have left him in no doubt that if there were another breach he would come back here and that would be his last chance."

Describing the messages as "very menacing, very threatening and very stupid", Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris imposed a second probation order of 12 months.