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Bleach attack teenager's history of thuggery
A TEENAGER who threw bleach at a mum after she told him to be quiet in a cinema has a history of violent attacks.
Three years ago Jordan Horsley threw a brick at a man as he left a store in Harehills, Leeds, and a year earlier was part of a gang which fired a pellet gun at a young mum with her baby.
Yesterday, Leeds Crown Court heard Horsley, 16, of Thorn Drive, Gipton, Leeds, followed mum-of-two Annette Warden and her family into a restaurant and poured bleach over her head.
Horsley had been told to be quiet by Mrs Warden during a screening of Harry Potter and The Half Blood Prince at the Vue Cinema in Kirkstall.
Determined to confront the 46-year-old, he went to a garage to buy eggs to throw at her but, not finding any, bought the bleach instead.
The attack in July left Mrs Warden unable to sleep and afraid of leaving the house with her children unless she is with her husband, Leeds Crown Court was told.
Yesterday, The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Peter Collier QC, handed Horsley a 12-month detention and training order on top of the five months he has been held in custody. He also lifted a ban on naming the teenager.
He told Horsley he needed to control his anger.
He acknowledged the youngster had had a troubled life, losing his mum at a very young age and never being told what happened to her.
He was brought up by his father and had repeatedly been on the social services radar.
The jury at Horsley's trial heard that he and his friends had been using mobile phones, shouting and throw-
-ing sweets during the film. Mrs Warden asked them to be quiet and when that failed, she fetched a staff member who threatened to kick them out if they didn't behave.
After the film the youngsters drove past the family as they walked to the Frankie and Benny's restaurant opposite the cinema and Horsley yelled obscenities at Mrs Warden.
In the restaurant Mrs Warden screamed in agony as Horsley squirted the bleach at her as she sat with her husband and young sons.
In a statement read to the court, Mrs Warden said she felt the liquid being squirted over her head.
"It ran down the right side of my face and into my eyes. I smelled bleach and my eyes started stinging. I was terrified."
The teenager had been found guilty of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent. He said in his defence that he didn't know bleach was dangerous if it came into contact with skin.
He said he was "mad and angry" at being shushed and wanted to "embarrass her".
The court heard Horsley had a history of violent behaviour. In September 2005 aged 12 he was one of a trio of boys cautioned for firing a pellet gun at a young mum who had a baby with her. She was hit in the face.
A year later, he threw a brick at a man outside a shop in Harehills, leaving him needing three stitches to his head. He was given a three month referral order for that offence.
Detective Inspector Neil Thompson, of North West Leeds Division, said: "Horsley's actions were utterly vindictive. "The victim had made a reasonable request. She could never have expected that he would react in such a nasty and violent way."
A neighbour of Horsley described him as "weird" and a "loner" who she always saw hanging around the streets late at night.
The neighbour, who did not want to be named, said: "How could he do something like that to a mum out with her kids. I think it's disgusting what he did and he deserves what he gets."
aisha.iqbal@ypn.co.uk
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