A teenage lady gang who went viral on social media after they had been filmed attacking practice workers, passengers and law enforcement officials in an alcohol-fuelled rampage have been spared jail.
The 5 women, who can’t be named for authorized causes, threw punches, headbutts and ripped out hair in an incident described as ‘mass hysteria’.
One lady held up a clump of hair from the top of a rail passenger like a trophy in the course of the hour-long melee, a court docket heard.
A choose mentioned movies of the incident confirmed the women had been relentless, fully uncontrolled and exhibiting an ongoing willpower to wreak havoc.
‘It was chaos, mayhem, bedlam,’ District Choose Teresa Szagun mentioned.
The youngest was solely 13 when a battle began at Barnham railway station in West Sussex between the group and one other younger lady.
Members of the general public, practice workers and police who tried to intervene had been attacked by the women.
Native residents claimed the normally quiet village of Barnham was being held hostage by feral youth after footage of the lady gang was extensively shared on social media.
A teenage lady gang who went viral on social media after they had been filmed attacking practice workers, passengers and law enforcement officials in an alcohol-fuelled rampage have been spared jailÂ
The 5 women, who can’t be named for authorized causes, threw punches, headbutts and ripped out hair in an incident at Barnham railway station in West Sussex in March
All 5 admitted affray and assaults on practice workers, police and members of the general public.
Two girls had been thrown about by the women earlier than police had been kicked and head butted as they tried to arrest them.
A practice security officer wanted hospital remedy after he was smashed within the face along with his personal radio.
Choose Szagun informed all 5 women they’d have been jailed if that they had been sufficiently old.
The assaults had been fully out of character for the women, the court docket heard.
One of many group had been head lady at her college and was described as an exemplary scholar.
Others had been described as vivid, succesful and clever.
The court docket heard one of many women held up a clump of hair like a trophy and laughed, Brighton Magistrates Court docket heard.
The choose informed all 5 women they’d have been jailed for the assault on fellow passengers, practice workers and law enforcement officials if that they had been sufficiently old
She informed the lady, now aged 17: ‘You had been concerned from begin to end for over an hour.
‘You had been seen to kick one other lady time and again whereas she was on the bottom.
‘Your aggression then turned in direction of the harmless bystander who was attempting to cease this.
‘Your response to realising you had a clump of her hair in your hand is horrific, it’s virtually as if you’re holding it up as a trophy and laughing.
‘This spurred you on to additional violence, there was an ongoing willpower to wreak havoc.’
The choose informed one other 16-year-old member of the group: ‘Your behaviour was actually aggressive.
‘You had been intimidating, squaring as much as the officers.
‘You had been ready to be pummelling an officer at the back of the top.
Two males wanted hospital remedy and one sufferer had a considerable quantity of hair pulled kind her head, Brighton Magistrates’ Court docket heard
‘One other officer is taking off his vest if you take the chance to have a swing at him, in addition to swinging at one other officer when he thinks you have calmed down.
‘He was taken unawares.’
She informed one other lady: ‘You had been fully uncontrolled and relentless.
‘If you happen to had been adults, I might be sentencing you to custody.’
The court docket heard it was clear all 5 had been very drunk. Different passengers in a ready room, who had been involved for his or her welfare, tried to provide them water.
Combating began after a confrontation with one other lady and escalated rapidly.
The choose informed one other lady: ‘You simply saved going.
‘I do not assume any compensation goes to make any impression on the people who should have been so frightened.
Two males wanted hospital remedy and one sufferer had a considerable quantity of hair pulled kind her head.
Viral video of the incident, which occurred on Easter Saturday, March 30 and clips of shoplifting in Barnham led to police making use of for dispersal orders.
Native shopkeepers employed personal safety and locals held a public assembly to demand motion.
All 5 women had been ingesting earlier than launching a violent assault on one other lady within the ready room at Barnham station.
Not one of the women, two aged 15, two 16 and a 13-year-old on the time, might be named for authorized causes.
Defending one of many women, Paula Bristow described the incident as having a component of mass hysteria.
‘She is doing effectively at college and this was fully out of character.
‘There is a component of mass hysteria on this incident.’
The three youngest women got nine-month referral orders.
The 2 older women got 12-month intensive referral orders.
Compensation might be paid to the girl who misplaced a clump of hair, her mom who she was travelling with and one other police officer who additionally had her hair pulled out.
