Teenagers With Weapons Confront Crowd At Engagement Party

TWO teenagers armed themselves with a weapon and went out to confront a large crowd in a Littleport street after a brick was thrown through a window during an engagement party. The youngsters wanted to discover who had thrown the missile -- Shane Davis wa

TWO teenagers armed themselves with a weapon and went out to confront a large crowd in a Littleport street after a brick was thrown through a window during an engagement party.

The youngsters wanted to discover who had thrown the missile -- Shane Davis was holding a wooden stump from a picket fence, and a 14-year-old was carrying a kitchen knife.

"Both were armed and accept they were verbally aggressive and that their carrying of a weapon caused alarm to innocent members of the public," prosecutor Angela Sassoli told Ely magistrates.

There was a group of 20 to 30 people outside the party in The Hythe on June 4, she said. The party-goers became very concerned, and the police were called.

"Unfortunately the situation deteriorated," she said. "Davis and the youth decided to take matters into their own hands before the police arrived.

"Both had had a fair amount to drink, and they decided to confront the group."

Davis, 19, of Wellington Street, Littleport, and the 14-year-old - who cannot be named -- both admitted using threatening behaviour and the 14-year-old also admitted possessing the knife. The schoolboy's case was sent to Cambridge Youth Court.

Representing Davis, solicitor Nick Barnes said the incident started with a dispute between two teenage girls, one was at the party, and the other was among the group outside.

"Davis had nothing to do with the dispute, but he was fearful and foolish, and should not have gone outside," he said.

"He took a loose stump from a picket fence, and went outside to challenge the group, there was clearly mitigating circumstances."

Announcing a fine of £235 with £95 costs and a £15 surcharge, presiding magistrate Janet South told Davis: "You went to a party and drank yourself into oblivion and then got involved in this fracas. This court does not, and will not accept this sort of behaviour.