Chorley youngster's teeth knocked out by St Annes thug at sweet shop

Niall Tommony, 18, of Clifton Drive North, Lytham St Annes, launched the vicious attack on the youngster in N S S News on Wigan Road, Clayton-le-Woods.

Preston Crown Court heard on October 10 last year, at around 4pm the boy and a few friends were planning to go to the cinema and had gone into the shop for some snacks.

Prosecuting, David Clarke said Tommony, who was unknown to him, walked into the shop and asked for his name, and before the boy could reply he was punched very hard in his teeth.

At the time he had sweets in his mouth, which he spat out, and he could see blood straight away.

Tommony, who is around 6ft tall and wearing a long black overcoat, walked off.

A member of staff told police he had heard him ask if the boy had been "chatting something about him on the estate" and had threatened to slit his throat if "he said anything else".

The boy had to have dental treatment, including a second tooth taken out, and ended up with a small denture.

In a victim statement the schoolboy described he had been in such pain with a loose tooth he begged for it to be removed, and needed to take painkiller medication.

he has been left suffering anxiety and felt "very self conscious about smiling and laughing".

In an interview Tommony claimed he acted after having trouble with a group of boys and had felt threatened when he heard someone slam a bike down.

He admits wounding.

Defending, Lucy Wright said: "He accepts he did totally the wrong thing."

Imposing eight months suspended for 18 months, £1,000 compensation and unpaid work, Judge Simon Medland QC said: "Some 11 months ago you thumped a lad who lived where you lived.

"He was only 14 but you were 17 and 7 months. You are tall and he was a young looking 14-year-old, who had not done a thing to you to deserve any sort of violence or aggression.

"He was an innocent bystander and you hit him hard enough to knock out two of his teeth. That caused him pain, upset and injury and he's had to undergo treatment."

He accepted the offence had happened when Tommony was "much younger and deeply immature".

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