British schoolboy found guilty of racial harassment of schoolgirl

Thursday, July 23, 2009

A 15-year-old schoolboy was found guilty in Lincoln Youth Court in England yesterday of racial harrassment of a 14-year-old schoolgirl. The case is regarded as a landmark case, the first such case of its kind.

Raymond Wildsmith, prosecuting, described the events. The boy had for a period of several months taunted the girl with racial epithets including "wog, coon, nigger, gorilla, and golliwog". He had told her to "Go back to your own country. You don’t belong here.", and chanted "White, white, white is right, kick them out, fight, fight, fight."

Unidentified sources told the Daily Mail that the boy had supported the British National Party, and had attempted to enlist other youths as supporters as well.

The girl, who was of mixed English and African heritage, had already changed schools once to avoid racial abuse. She initially did not report the abuse at the new school, for fear that the boy would turn violent. The girl's parents first learned of it when she attempted to commit suicide, in January, by taking a combination of stress pills and painkillers. Her suicide note requested that people not wear black at her funeral. She ended up in hospital, and then "sectioned" (involuntarily committed under the provisions of § 4 the Mental Health Act) to a psychiatric institution for several weeks. She will now change schools again.

The boy was found guilty after a six-hour trial. He is scheduled for sentencing on August the 13th. Another 15-year-old boy charged with the same offence was found not guilty.

Under § 45 and Schedule 2 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 and § 49 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, it is illegal in England and Wales for news reports to identify either of the children involved in the case.

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Sources

"Teenage bully guilty of school racism" — Lincolnshire Echo, July 22, 2009
"Racist BNP teenager pushed girl, 14, to the brink of suicide" — The Daily Mail, July 23, 2009
Katherine Fenech. "TEENAGE RACIST BULLY CONVICTED" — The Daily Express, July 23, 2009
"Boy, 15, guilty of racial abuse" — BBC News, July 22, 2009

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