Published: January 19, 2012
by GEORGIA GRAHAM

A JUDGE has watched the “chilling” moment a cab firm’s offices were overrun with a “swarm” of youths during a night of rioting in Chalk Farm.

The CCTV footage showed the terrified owners barricading themselves into a back-room.

Judge James Patrick viewed 15 minutes of footage showing young men, and some women, repeatedly smashing a door at Chalk Farm Cars near the Underground station on August 8 last year.

It was shown at a sentencing hearing at Wood Green Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday) for a 16-year-old boy who admitted violent disorder as well as charges of robbery at Chalk Farm Cars and burglary at Evans Cycles, Sainsbury’s and Adil supermarket in Finchley Road.

Handing down a 22-month detention and training order, Judge Patrick told the teenager: “You went on the rampage in August on the third night of violence in London where shops and businesses were looted and ruined and where people’s livelihoods were seriously affected.”

In reference to the “most serious” of the crimes the youth had admitted – the robbery at Chalk Farm Cars – he said: “This must have been one of the most petrifying events that these men have ever had to endure.”

A swarm of people had entered the office, and then turned their attention “not once, not twice but three times” to the door of an internal office where staff were, the judge said.

The prosecution accepted that, while the 16-year-old was among those trying to gain entry to the internal room at Chalk Farm Cabs, once the door was smashed he did not enter.

Judge Patrick added: “The people inside must have been absolutely petrified. So much was going on that night, and we know the police were stretched and they made a 999-call that went unanswered.”

The 16-year-old’s mother wrote to the court acknowledging her “shame” at her son’s actions, saying she was “embarrassed and angry” with him. She made it clear she did not support his actions.

Chalk Farm Cars was closed for five days after the attack and lost about £5,000 in revenue. It cost the owners a further £9,000 to fix the damage caused.

Evans Cycles suffered damages in the region of £98,000, the court heard.

During the hearing, the judge added that if he had been dealing with an adult he would have handed down a sentence of six years in prison.

Last month, 25-year-old Spencer Milligan, of Ealing and formerly of Camden, was convicted of similar offences, including violent disorder, robbery of Chalk Farm Cars and burglary of Sainsbury’s. He was sentenced to four years in prison.