Teenager caught with riots theft ring

A teenager caught with a ring stolen from a jewellery shop in Wolverhampton during the summer riots has avoided being locked up.

The 16-year-old from Tipton won the right to keep his identity a secret because of the negative effect it would have on his family and friends.

The teenager was stopped by police just after midnight on August 10, the day of the riots in the city, and had in his possession a £60 silver ring from EV Beckett in Queen Street.

The ring still had its price tag on, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court heard.

Magistrates banned the Express & Star from publishing his name due to how it would "affect his family, friends and future life chances". Prosecutors have been urged to request that rioters are named.

Prime Minister David Cameron also backed revealing their identity during a visit to Wolverhampton after the trouble.

Miss Rosie Sivia, prosecuting, told the court yesterday: "Police were doing a patrol along Birmingham New Road and they spotted a car. It was stopped and the defendant was a passenger. He was searched and a ring was discovered. It was shown to Mr Beckett and he identified it as his ring."

She said the youngster, who is not in school and currently unemployed, initially declined to comment when interviewed by police but on December 22 admitted theft by finding.

Mr Sundip Murria, defending, said: "The ring must have been stolen during the course of the riots but no-one is suggesting he was involved in what took place.

"He found the ring and did not do what he was obliged to do and find out who it belonged to."

The teenager also admitted a separate charge of assaulting a police officer, which he did while on bail for the theft.

The court heard how he punched the officer in the side of the head on October 5 in Century Road, Oldbury, while being handcuffed and searched. He was handed a nine-month referral order and ordered to pay £50 costs.

Mrs Marilyn Macey, chairman of the bench, told him: "It should put some structure in your life with a view to preventing further offending."

Commenting on her decision not to lift an identification ban on the youngster, Mrs Macey added: "We are not prepared to lift the reporting restrictions.

"It's not in the public interest. The defendant was not directly involved in the rioting.

"The publication of his name would affect his family, friends and future life chances."

Hundreds of rioters and looters flooded the streets of Wolverhampton in August, smashing their way into shops.