Teenager 'a very dangerous boy'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/scotland/north_east/7239007.stm

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A sheriff has told a 15-year-old who attacked a homeless man with a bottle in Aberdeen: "You are a very dangerous boy".

Sheriff Annella Cowan ordered Lee Reid to be detained for four years after leaving his victim scarred for life.

Sheriff Cowan had earlier taken the unusual step of naming and shaming Reid. His identity would normally have been protected by law due to his age.

A jury had found the teenager guilty of assault to severe injury.

He attacked Matt Browning, 36, a Big Issue salesman, in Union Street in January last year.

He had been drinking and smashed a bottle over Mr Browning's head.

'Very serious'

The sheriff had said revealing his identity should be part of the punishment. Sheriff Cowan said he had shown no remorse or empathy for his victim.

She told Reid: "You have been convicted of a very serious crime.

"On one view, and as was pointed out to you by one of the police officers who interviewed you, you were lucky that it was not more serious, given that the blow you inflicted cut a major blood vessel in your victim's neck.

"In my view you are a very dangerous boy. Nothing other than a custodial sentence is appropriate. You will serve a period of four years from today's date."

Sheriff Cowan added: "In imposing a custodial sentence I bear in mind that at least until you are 16, you will return to the secure unit and not go straight to a young offenders' institution. That is simply a fact, it does not affect the length of the sentence".