LONDON, UK—A teenage girl has admitted attacking an elderly Sikh in an incident captured on a mobile phone.
The shocking clip sparked outrage online after showing black-clad Coral Millerchip kicking out at and hitting the 80-year-old Sikh, knocking him to the ground and causing his turban to fall off. Then, as the dazed pensioner lay on the ground, she bent over and appeared to spit at him before walking off with a group of youths as someone went to her victim’s aid.
The incident took place in Trinity Street in Coventry city centre at about 8.30 in the evening on 10 August 2013.
At Warwick Crown Court Millerchip, 19, whose address in Coventry cannot be published after city magistrates made an order under the Contempt of Court Act, pleaded guilty to assaulting the pensioner causing him actual bodily harm.
Her solicitor David Murray said Millerchip had entered her plea on a basis which was acceptable to the prosecution.
But Mr Murray added that he ‘took issue’ with the prosecution’s case in relation to part of the incident which had not been recorded, observing that the accounts of three witnesses differed in relation to that.
Millerchip also pleaded guilty to receiving a shoulder bag, purse and laptop computer taken in a burglary on 9 July, but denied taking part in the burglary itself at an address in Lythalls Lane, Coventry.
Prosecutor Alex Warren said those pleas were not accepted; so that case was adjourned for Millerchip to stand trial on the burglary charge.
Mr Murray said he would not ask for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on Millerchip in relation to the assault, and asked for that matter to be adjourned until after the trial.
Recorder Richard Benson QC agreed and, on being told there was no application for bail, remanded Millerchip in custody.
