Teen who pelted woman with flour and eggs faces ‘inevitable’ jail time
Teenage yob, 18, who was among gang that escaped jail for pelting vulnerable woman with flour and eggs faces ‘inevitable’ prison time after attacking man less than three months later
- Cohan Semple, 18, was part of a gang who attacked a vulnerable woman as she sat alone on a park bench in Suffolk
- His victim, Janice Morris, 49, was then photographed by the yobs who took glee in her suffering as they surrounded her
- Semple avoided jail but has now admitted attacking another man in October
- A judge told him jail time is ‘inevitable’ after he confessed to the attack
Cohan Semple, 18, arriving at Suffolk magistrates court in December
A teenager in a gang which hurled flour and eggs over a vulnerable woman is facing a jail sentence for attacking a man in a separate incident.
Cohan Semple, 18, was told by a judge that a custodial sentence was ‘inevitable’ after he admitted attacking Matthew Banks, causing actual bodily harm on October 15 last year.
Semple was part of a teenage gang whose abuse of a vulnerable woman went viral, last summer.
He and four others rounded on Janice Morris, 49, in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
The gang pelted the woman with flour and eggs, on July 27.
The yobs then posed laughing and smiling behind their cowering victim who was covered in flour from head to toe.
Semple of Bury St Edmunds posted the picture to his 20 contacts on Snapchat, only for it to go viral after it was shared by others on social media leading to widespread outrage.
He was subject to threats and abuse from around the world for his role and the case led to him losing a college place and his job as a warehouseman for a delivery firm. Semple admitted the assault charge on Mr Banks when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday.
Miss Morris who is schizophrenic and alcohol dependent was attacked after she went to enjoy the evening sun in the park off St Olaves Road on the Howard estate near her home in Bury St Edmunds.
The yob was among five boys who targeted a disabled woman as she cowered on a park bench
Semple, 18, arriving at Suffolk magistrates court in December before being sentenced for his part in the flour and eggs attack
She was spat at by the teenagers who jokingly asked her if she wanted to buy drugs before she was pelted with the flour and eggs bought by three of the youths from a local Spar shop.
All the youths were arrested after they were quickly identified by members of the public who recognised them as the picture of the attack spread around on Facebook.
Semple claimed he was ‘remorseful and sorry’ when quizzed by police. His solicitor Declan Gallagher told the hearing in December that he had had been subject to ‘practically worldwide opprobrium’ as a result of being identified in the case.
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He had originally been warned he faced a possible custodial sentence for the ‘despicable’ attack after he admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour towards Miss Morris.
Suffolk Magistrates Court gave him a 12-month community order with 60 hours of unpaid work and a 20 hour rehabilitation activity requirement, last December.
Two youths aged 16, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old who all cannot be identified due to their age admitted using threatening or abusive words or behaviour towards Miss Morris at Suffolk youth court last November.
They were each given a 12 month referral order during separate hearings and ordered to pay £100 compensation to their victim, a £20 victim surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.
Another 17-year-old youth pleaded not guilty to the same charge, saying he had simply come across the incident and joined in by posing with the others for the picture. But the teenager was found guilty at the youth court last week and given a three month reparation order requiring him to do 24 hours of unpaid work.
Grinning Semple, 18, has been told he should expect jail time after he admitted attacking a man – despite claiming he was filled with remorse over an assault on a woman. Pictured in December
He was also ordered to pay £150 compensation to Miss Morris and £620 costs with a £20 victim surcharge.
Now, he is likely to be jailed for the second attack.
Judge John Devaux adjourned sentence on both defendants until the week commencing April 15 and asked for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Semple.
He warned Semple that a custodial sentence was ‘inevitable’, saying the probation report would address the length of sentence rather than the type.
Sam Mills, 20, of no fixed address who appeared via video link also admitted attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Banks on October 15 last year. Mills further admitted causing religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress to a police officer on the same date.
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