CPS reaction to conviction of 13-year-old girl over disorder in Aldershot

A 13-year-old girl has been convicted after violent disorder outside a hotel used by asylum seekers in Aldershot, Hampshire.

The youth was among several people who gathered outside the Potters International Hotel, Aldershot, on Wednesday 31 July.

The girl, who can not be named for legal reasons, today pleaded guilty to violent disorder at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court, having been seen punching and kicking the entrance to the hotel. 

Thomas Power, a Senior Crown Prosecutor with CPS Wessex, said: “This alarming incident will have caused genuine fear amongst people who were being targeted – and it is particularly distressing to learn that such a young girl participated in this violent disorder.

“Large scale public unrest is never acceptable and the Crown Prosecution Service will not hesitate to respond swiftly and robustly to uphold law and order.

“We will continue working with our partners in policing and the wider criminal justice system to make sure those who bring violence and panic to our communities face the consequences of their actions.”