Six teenagers have entered guilty pleas at court in relation to an incident of violent disorder in Bournemouth.
The boys, all aged between 14 and 17, made their admissions at Poole Youth Court on Tuesday 28 January 2020. The charges related to an in incident that occurred at around 12.45am on Saturday 15 June 2019 on Albert Road in the town centre. A group of four men aged in their 20s who were visiting Bournemouth for the weekend were approached by a group of teenagers who followed them up Old Christchurch Road and attacked them.
The victims were punched and kicked by the teenagers and two of them continued to be assaulted after falling to the ground.
The men fled to an address on Richmond Hill where they called the emergency services. One of victims sustained four stab wounds to his leg and back that required stitches as well as bruising and swelling to his face.
A second man also sustained a small stab wound to his leg.
A full investigation was launched by detectives from Bournemouth CID and six teenage boys from Bournemouth were identified from CCTV footage of the incident. They were arrested and subsequently charged.
A 16-year-old boy admitted an offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and will be sentenced at Poole Youth Court on Tuesday 3 March 2020.
Two boys aged 14 and 15 admitted an offence of violent disorder and will also be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday 3 March 2020.
Three further boys, aged 14, 15 and 17, also admitted a charge of violent disorder and they will return to court to be sentenced on Tuesday 17 March 2020.
Detective Constable Steph Ashworth, of Bournemouth CID, said: “This was an unprovoked violent incident in the town centre targeting an innocent group of men who were simply enjoying a night out. The victims have all been impacted by this attack and I hope these admissions go some way to helping them start to move on.
“I am pleased that through our investigations we were able to identify those involved and bring them before the court.
“I hope this case demonstrates that all those involved in group violence of this nature will face prosecution, whether they are the principal offenders or simply part of a joint attack.”
