A Bath teenager who struck another girl in the face and yanked out a chunk of her hair has been given her second referral order by magistrates.
The defendant, now aged 15 but 14 at the time of the offence on 4th October 2025, appeared at the youth court in Bath last Thursday, 23rd April, to admit assaulting the victim by beating.
Prosecutor Kevin Withey said the victim had been out with her sister that night when she was recognised by the defendant who was part of a group in Kingsmead Square.
With the group behaving in an intimidating way and feeling “significantly outnumbered”, the sisters went into the nearby Sainsbury’s Local store and asked staff for help, but they did not get the assistance they hoped for.
CCTV footage of the assault which unfolded was played to the magistrates.
The defendant has a previous conviction for assaulting an emergency worker in July 2024 for which she was handed a six-month referral order with £100 compensation for the victim.
Last Thursday, the court heard that the defendant has professionals working with her, has been addressing the issue of her anti-social drinking, and is hoping to return to schooling soon.
Defending the 15-year-old, solicitor Ned Kemp criticised the delay in the latest matter being brought to court,
He added that a recent civil injunction imposed on her was one of the “most stringent” he had seen in a youth court.
Bath magistrates echoed Mr Kemp’s concerns about the delay in getting the case to court. They described it as “a very nasty offence” that took place during the previous referral order, which was an aggravating feature.
They imposed a new four-month referral order. The girl’s mother must pay £200 compensation to the victim. The magistrates made no order for prosecution costs or court surcharge.
Reporting restrictions prevent us from identifying the defendant.
