Shop ban teen convicted of store assault (From Gazette)

Shop ban teen convicted of store assault

4:00pm Tuesday 18th September 2012 in News

A TEENAGER has been convicted of assaulting a shop manager six months before she was banned from every store in three town centres.

Victoria Pickford, 18, of Alexandra Road, Colchester, was yesterday found guilty of attacking and abusing the manager at Townrow, in Long Wyre Street, Colchester, on March 17.

The assault happened during an argument about whether she was banned from the store. Pickford had denied barging the manager and being verbally abusive, but was found guilty by magistrates. A probation report said Pickford had completed 98.5 hours of unpaid work and several training days from a previous community order.

She was working well and the supervision was bringing stability into her life, the court heard.

Anna Perera, mitigating, said: “Pickford genuinely believes she has changed her behaviour and very much feels she has moved on.”

Rosemary Stamp, chairman of the magistrates, said: “Although no injury was caused, we think the victim was upset by the language used. We believe this had an effect on the victim as it was degrading her where she works and in a public place. We have been influenced by the progress you are making on your community order.”

She sentenced Pickford to a nine-month community order, to run at the same time as her existing order, and added a further 120 hours of unpaid work.

Pickford was made the subject of a two-year Asbo this month banning her from shops in Colchester, Witham and Braintree because she was such a nuisance.