Johnny Melfah posted Facebook messages urging disorder in Worcester and Droitwich and encouraging raid on Apple store
A 16-year-old who admitted inciting rioting on Facebook has been identified after a court lifted reporting restrictions protecting his anonymity.
Johnny Melfah posted messages inciting disorder in Worcester and Droitwich and encouraging a raid on an Apple store for "free iPads". The 16-year-old, thought to be the first juvenile to have his anonymity lifted in a riot-related case, will be sentenced next month.
Sam Lamslade, defending Melfah, argued that the restrictions should not be lifted as his family had already suffered "some effects in their area" as a result of his identification.
She also claimed it could lead to "bad PR" for the company who had decided to offer Melfah an apprenticeship.
She said: "Johnny has just begun working at a local firm ,and they are so pleased with his work they have offered him an apprenticeship.
"I believe it should be sufficient to publish that a 16-year-old from the Droitwich area has been has appeared in court." But the magistrate, Linda Griffin, decided Melfah could be named despite his age.
Four other men appeared in a Preston court accused of using Facebook to encourage rioting or looting. Karl Manley, 28, of Heysham, Lancashire, and Stefan Johnson, 21, of Lancaster, are accused of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, namely burglary. Warren Calvert, 19, of Heysham, and Christopher Schofield, 26, of Nelson, Lancashire, are accused of assisting or encouraging rioting or violent disorder. None have yet entered any pleas. Agencies
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Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/aug/24/court-anonymity-16-year-old-rioting
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