Detention for teens in Newcastle rooftop rampages

A judge has sent two teenage boys to a youth detention centre after they caused more than £20,000 of damage in Newcastle.

The two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, will spend a total of 34 months in the detention centre after two incidents in the Blakelaw area of the city last week.

Police were initially called on Wednesday, April 12, to a report that youths had climbed onto the roof of the Blakelaw Neighbourhood Centre and nearby shops and were causing a significant amount of damage.

Two 17-year-olds were later arrested in connection with the incident.

Three days later police received a second report of youths climbing on the roof of a premise near Blakelaw Shopping Centre.

Two youths again tore tiles from the roof, damaged chimneys, smashed windows and threw the debris at passers-by.

A 16-year-old, and one of the 17-year-olds from the incident just three days earlier, eventually came down from the roof and were arrested in connection with the incident.

It is estimated that damage caused in both incidents amounted to around £22,000.

None of the teenagers can be identified for legal reasons.

All three teenage boys were charged with a string of offences including theft, affray and criminal damage.

The 17 year-old involved in both incidents was handed a 16 month sentence to be served in a youth detention facility.

He admitted offences including an affray, theft, a racially aggravated public order offence and possession of a bladed article.

The 16-year-old will also serve with a 16 month sentence as he also admitted assaulting a police officer, theft and an affray. He denied a further offence of possession of a bladed article and will appear before the youth court in the near future.

The 17-year-old involved in the first incident, but not the second, admitted theft, affray and a racially aggravated public order offence. However, he denied an unrelated offence and will appear before youth court in the near future for this case to be heard.