A SIXTEEN-year-old boy from Penrith joined one of his pals in attacking a motorist – despite having no quarrel with the victim, a court heard.

The youth was one of three teenagers who were seen loitering at an Esso filling station in the town on December 5 last year, all of them allegedly wearing balaclavas, Carlisle’s Rickergate court heard.

The victim was returning to his car after paying for his fuel when he saw the youths.

Prosecutor George Shelley described how the victim had first noticed the trio outside the store as he arrived and it was as he walked back to his car that two of the teenagers approached him.

“One of them punched him to the face, causing a cut to his lip and making him stumble forward,” said Mr Shelley.

The man had dropped his mobile phone when struck and it was as tried to pick it up that the second male – the defendant – punched him to the back of his head.

“This caused him dizziness and confusion,” said the prosecutor.

The man managed to get back into his car but as he was driving towards the exit one of the youths aimed a kick at his wing mirror.

When police caught up with the 16-year-old he initially denied being involved.

But he then admitted throwing the punch at the victim as he tried to pick up up his dropped mobile phone.

Duncan Campbell, defending, said the defendant – who admitted the assault – had shown “genuine remorse.” 

The lawyer said: “He got caught up with someone else’s issue.”

Mr Campbell said the boy, whose life lacked structure, regretted what he had done. Of the balaclavas, the lawyer added: “He denies wearing a balaclava.

“He has a snood hoodie and there was nothing sinister about it… and it was not a planned attack.”

The teenager told the court: “If I could go back in time, I believe I would have walked away from the situation. It wasn’t my problem and I don’t know why I got involved.”

District Judge John Temperley said the antisocial behaviour that the defendant and his friends were involved in had caused a lot of stress and anxiety for local people. The judge noted also that the teenager was getting into trouble while in the company of three named individuals.

District Judge Temperley imposed a 12-month youth rehabilitation order, which will include a three-month ban from going to the area of Penrith where the trouble happened.

Nor for the same period can he contact this three friends with whom he has been getting into trouble. That ban includes contact with those youths on social media.

The judge ordered that the defendant pays £50 compensation to the victim.

The judge told the boy: “You need to stop the low-level antisocial behaviour which is causing people a lot of stress and anxiety. Often, the people causing that trouble don’t see it that way.

“A lot of if it due to immaturity. But residents are affected by what you are doing. Use this order as a way of breaking that habit.” The teenager, whose mother was in court to support him, can not be named for legal reasons.