Clitheroe attacker has jail term reduced

9:09pm Tuesday 29th April 2008

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A TEENAGE thug who was locked up for 18 months for two drunken and seemingly random early hours attacks on men in Clitheroe has won a six-month reduction in his sentence at the Court of Appeal.

The 17-year-old, who lives in the town but cannot be named for legal reasons, was sentenced to the 18-month detention and training order after admitting assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault by beating and theft at Burnley Crown Court in January.

But after an appeal to two top judges at the Court of Appeal in London, the youth, who has a string of previous convictions for violence, had his term slashed to 12 months.

His barrister, Clare Thomas, had argued before Mr Justice Butterfield and Mrs Justice Swift that he had not received enough credit for having pleaded guilty and the time he spent behind bars awaiting sentencing.

Giving the court's judgment, Mrs Justice Swift told how the teenager first assaulted Daniel Cowgill as he rode his motor-scooter along a street in the town shortly before 1am on October 7 of last year.

Later, he assaulted Shaun Molyneux, after befriending him as he walked home from a late-night party.