Teenage thug freed by court - as Facebook messages reveal contempt for law
A teenager walked free from court despite admitting burgling a home in Shropshire and attacking a 78-year-old pensioner.
As 18-year-old Luke Mansell stood in his tracksuit top and jeans waiting to learn his fate yesterday, his solicitor claimed he had been ‘scared to his wits end’ for seven months about what was going to happen to him.
He told magistrates at Telford he was ‘certain’ they would not be seeing his client before a court again.
But a quick glance at Mansell’s page on social networking site Facebook revealed he was far from worried about the case, as the teenager boasted of smoking a ‘big fat joint’ minutes before checking in at court and voiced his hopes of getting an ‘order’ rather than going to prison.
He also bragged of ordering drugs paraphernalia and posted a picture of a bong, a device used for smoking cannabis, on Facebook he had ordered off the internet.
A few short hours later, despite bashing 78-year-old pensioner Arthur Ball with a 5ft fence post, Mansell walked, smiling, free from court with a slap on the wrists and a suspended prison sentence.
It means he will escape punishment if he stays out of trouble for the next two years.
His first reaction was again to use his mobile phone to take to Facebook, telling his followers how happy he was about the sentence and expressing delight about the removal of an electronic tag that had stopped him from leaving the house at night since he committed the offence.
Mansell’s solicitor Mr Steven Meredith said: “For seven months he has been scared to his wits end about what is going to happen in this case. He is screaming out for rehabilitation, the youth offending service assert he has the ability to change, and I am certain you will not see him before these courts again.”
Mr Ball tried to detain Mansell after he caught him red-handed climbing out of the back window of his neighbour Anthony Edmunds’ home in Ketley Town, Telford, with a laptop on January 13 this year. But Mansell escaped Mr Ball’s grasp, picked up a fence post and hit him on the hip with it.
Mansell, who claimed he was acting in self-defence, and his accomplice got away from Mr Ball and his son before later being arrested by police. But the have-a-go-hero pensioner was left battered and bruised, on crutches, housebound and unable to drive as a result of the attack.
Mansell, of Hill Road, Overdale, Telford, previously admitted causing actual bodily harm to Mr Ball and burgling the home of Anthony Edmunds. The teenager appeared yesterday for sentencing.
Magistrates said it was a ‘serious offence’ which caused ‘grave harm’ to an innocent person, leaving them with no option but to impose a custodial sentence.
But the sitting justices opted to suspend the 16-week jail term for two years.
While on bail, Mansell had been on a strict curfew and electronically tagged preventing him from leaving the house between 7pm and 7am. Mansell was also ordered to pay £250 compensation to Mr Ball and will be on a supervision order for 12 months with a requirement to attend several courses.
What do YOU think of the sentence? Leave a comment below, write to us at Letters, Shropshire Star, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU or email starmail@shropshirestar.co.uk
Comments for: "Teenage thug freed by court - as Facebook messages reveal contempt for law "
Telford Resident
Typical result from our judicial system that favors the young and arrogant thieving scum being churned out from the 'Can't be bothered' parents using the same old excuse that they can't control their children !!!
mark
he wont stay out trouble long then double his sentence
sandra
It is no wonder the countrys in such a mess!!!!
john boy
I know let's send him on holiday abroad for two weeks in the sun at the cost of the tax payers!!!!!!!!
Dave
Telford Magistrates should take a long good look at this.....how did he get away with this !!!!????
Michael W
Not even a restitution order for the pain inflicted or damage done.Why not ?
Fourshedz
He'll be back in court before very long.
Brian
I wonder what planet these magistrates live on. Decent working people want and indeed deserve the protection of the law.
What you get is, a police service who are almost invisible and then when you do get a criminal to court they get a slap over the wrist.
I'm glad I no longer live in the UK. I can protect my property with lethal means if need be and if criminals are caught which they usually are due to fast reaction by the police. They get a substantial jail sentence.
The result is a very low rate of crime.
Ben UK
Why don't we all just break the law? Lets forget our morals and principles and start commiting crimes. Why not? Theres no punishment for doing so!
No wonder crime goes up, most crimes are committed by re-offenders. Theres a reason why they re-offend. And its stories like this, its pathetic, Britain is now just a push-over.
Edward
He's done himself no favours showing himself in the mirror facebooking. We know his name and we now know what he looks like!
Ste
Well done defense team, you can be proud of yourselves. I hope you do not become a victim of crime, only to see the guilty offender laugh and walk away!
Telford Resident
An absolute disgrace why do the police bother with all the work only for them to be let off by the Magistrates
Joe
...And the goverment complain that too many people take the law into their own hands? If anybody did that to my dad i'd make damn sure there wouldnt be enough left of that person to throw in a jail cell as punishment!
Unknown
There are two sides to every story, don't forget what you read is not always the truth ? Reporters have probably over exadurated this and made him look what he isn't. He knows he's done wrong and hes done his punishment and has still got punishments to complete,
People that live in glass houses should not throw stones , and judge people they do not know. I understand your all going by what you've red. But we don't know the true facts.
Yes he did wrong? He's payed for his doing, he's been honest by the sounds of things and held his hands up, throwing kids up in prison doesn't solve anything? It's a holiday camp for youngsters of today? Yes have your say but just keep in mind what you read is not always the truth. And a lot of the time is OTT!!
Thrasher Harris
Mansell is a clear reason as to why the birch should be brought back
alex
Cases like these make the UK a real laughing stock, we are far too soft with morons like him and it really emphasizes the fact that the law is an ass !! Get real you judges and help get some discipline back into this once great country or just retire on your extra fat pensions !!!
Another Telford Resident
The Magistrates are out of touch with the wishes of normal people - we do not want or need such people to be walking the streets of our town, making a mockery of law & order!!
We demand tougher sentences to make Telford safer for the rest of us! This guy epitomises what is wrong with our town ...
wayne
these scum bags should be made join the army at 16 and then we would see how big and tough they are ,the justice system in this counrty is a joke,if had done that to my father he would be running for the rest of his sad life.
pam
its ok what go s round comes round he will forever be looking over his shoulder.
graham bradley
what a poor sentence he deserved the birch bring back proper punishment
Telford26
Absolutley disgusting! How on earth did he get away with this and then has the Gaul to BRAG about it!! Can't believe these people walk amongst us!!
V
Disgusting. He will now be classed as a role model to others that will think they can get away with it. Rather than making an example out of him he get's off with it and has the cheek to brag about it.
ketley
people like him should be made to go in the army or a bad boot camp and learn the hard way of life , come on even prison is like a hoilday camp these days .
Marc
everything thats wrong in Britain!?!?
Dave Smith
If you want a laugh pop over to his Facebook Page.
The spelling is awful, the grammar dreadful, and the punctuation non-existant.
I'm amazed he can actually walk & breathe at the same time, the odious little moron.
shifnal resident
what an absolute disgrace....this opens the door for more crime and young thugs laughing at the justice system knowing they will probably get away with it.....wake up magistrates.....................
Maggiepy
Unbelievable. I don't know how anyone involved in this case can sleep at night. Defies common sense. A total disgrace.
lil
That is a total desgrace how he's got the cheek to brag on facebook etc what he's done to a 78 year old man he should of been locked up hit with a post and throw away the key scum bag
CLARKE
1) Award him £1000 COMPENSATION for inconvenience of wearing a Tag.
2) Find him a highly - paid job with Age Concern as he seems highly qualified for that sort of occupation.
gareth Jones
is the low life proud of himself hope he remembers he will be old one day (maybe). best thing that could happen is for him to be sent down but then again he would bragg about that and play the big man/boy!!!!!!!!!
Telford resident
This is disgusting, i hope these so called magistrates and defense team don't become victims of crime. I presume it would be a different story then when they want justice. Dont know why the police bother, all the public money used to bring to trial for a scumbag to be allowed to walk free. its a joke.He WILL be back hes nothing but a thug with NO morals whatsoever.
Squirrel
This contrasts dramatically with the heavy sentences handed out during the riots (for lesser crimes). Although some of his Facebook comments may be bravado, it would seem he got off lightly. Sadly it is likely he will be back in court.
Newport Resident
Blame the government,they changed all the guidelines where crime is concerned.
TR
Disgusting - his Facebook is unbelievable... it says it all. Kids like this walk free and with little to no punishment then people wonder why society is the way it is. Shocking.
Why bother wasting police resource when the courts let them off like this.
He has bragged all over Facebook about going to court... innocent... yeah right!