TWO teenagers who admitted involvement in a "vicious assault" on a girl at Bangor pier have each been jailed for 16 months.
The girl, who was 16 at the time, was punched 30 times and had her head stamped on in Bangor in April 2018.
Ordering 19-year-olds Cora Campbell and William Boyd to spend a further 16 months on licence, Newtownards Crown Court Judge Geoffrey Millar QC, also ordered their 17-year-old co-accused, who cannot be identified due to her age, to complete 120 hours of community service.
Sentencing the trio, the judge told them that when they attacked their teenage victim, they "behaved like a pack of wild animals after their prey".
Initially charged with trying to inflict grievous bodily harm with intent, Campbell, Boyd and the teenager all pleaded guilty to causing their victim actual bodily harm in the attack on April 20 last year.
Read more: Bangor pier attack footage caused widespread shock
Opening the crown case yesterday, prosecuting counsel Laura Ievers outlined how the defendants had been with a drinking with a group of around 15 people when their victim arrived at the pier.
The complainant said that "everything was fine" and they were having a good time but she was approached by Campbell who "punched her and grabbed her by the hair".
She was shouting: "Do you still want my boyfriend now" and "Why did you kiss him," said Mrs Ievers adding that during the video recording of the attack, Boyd was heard shouting "break her nose" more than once and was filmed pouring beer and vodka into the victim's eyes and throat.
Describing how the victim was punched 30 times in the video, the lawyer said the girl "thought she was going to be drowned in the sea".
Arrested and interviewed after the video of the attack was posted online and viewed millions of times Campbell, with an address at English Street in Downpatrick, Co Down, admitted the assault but claimed she did not think "it was that bad" until she saw the video footage of their attack.
Boyd, from Sunnyside Drive in south Belfast and the 17-year-old girl also admitted their involvement.
As well as the custodial sentences, Judge Millar also imposed a three year restraining order while the 17-year-old must "write a letter of reflection" to her victim.
Speaking after the sentencing, a PSNI spokesman said: "This was clearly a traumatic ordeal for the victim and I hope it gives them some measure of comfort that the perpetrator has been found guilty."
Read more: Bangor pier attack footage caused widespread shock
