Community service for Rhyl teenager who attacked arcade manager

Dec 22 2008 By Justine Bailey

A TEENAGER who sprayed the manager of an amusement arcade in the face with a dog-control spray has been ordered to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work.

The 17-year-old from Rhyl was originally given a referral order for the offence, which he admitted, but Prestatyn magistrates were asked to resentence him as he failed to comply by not keeping appointments.

Gareth Preston, prosecuting, said that on May 6 Richard Hughes, manager of the Palace Centre, noticed the youth in the arcade and knew he was barred from entering. The youth left but when he returned he was told to leave.

"He then produced something from his trousers and sprayed Mr Hughes in the face," he said.

Mr Hughes was wearing glasses but the liquid caused his eyes to burn and his vision to become blurred.

When arrested, the teenager, who had been drinking, explained that the spray was intended to control dogs.

Defence solicitor Alex Fitzgerald said the boy had no good reason for failing to comply with the original order.

"He didn’t get his head round the fact that it was an order and not a request," he said.