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Teenager who rode through Brighton Asda fined for dangerous cyclingAsda Brighton Marina (via StreetView)

Teenager who rode through Brighton Asda fined for dangerous cycling

“We were chilling at the beach then got a little bit drunk”
by Alex Bowden
Fri, Oct 25, 2019 11:28
9

A teenager who was part of a group of youths that cycled through an Asda store in Brighton has been fined £440 for dangerous cycling and £440 for using threatening or abusive words.

On June 23, police responded to a report of threats made by the youths at the Asda store at Brighton Marina. Footage of the incident was later uploaded to YouTube by one of the group under the title “The Maddest Day Ever In Brighton”.

Following widespread media coverage of the video, police appealed for victims.

The video showed a series of incidents in and around Brighton. In the section that saw the group ride through Asda, one woman appeared to grab hold of a cyclist while shouting for security. After wriggling free, the boy punched another shopper in the chest.

The youths were also accused of stealing biscuits and cans of Red Bull as they left the store. The video uploader, Wheelie Kay, subsequently posted an apology.

In August, Sussex Police made two arrests on suspicion of grievous bodily harm – a 19-year-old man and a 12-year-old boy – relating to a confrontation in Madeira Drive that featured elsewhere in the video during which a passer-by had fallen and sustained a broken wrist and broken rib.

Police imposed placed bail conditions restricting both from entering Sussex. Last month it was reported that the 19-year-old had failed to answer bail.

Earlier this month, 19-year-old Keith Mujuru was arrested in connection with what took place in the supermarket.

On Wednesday, Mujuru, of Southwark, London, appeared at Crawley Magistrates' Court and pleaded guilty to dangerous cycling and using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

The Argus reports that Mujuru asked his mum to pay his fines.

Asked to explain his behaviour, he said: “It was my friend’s birthday and we said ‘let’s go to Brighton’. We were chilling at the beach then got a little bit drunk.”

Detective Chief Inspector Mike Ashcroft said: "The behaviour of Mujuru and the other youths that afternoon was totally unacceptable. They came down from London and decided to cycle through the store frightening customers and staff, film it and put it on social media.

"We worked closely with our colleagues at the Metropolitan Police in order to fully investigate these offences.

"We will not tolerate this type of threatening and anti-social behaviour in our community."

Brighton
ASDA
Wheelie Kay
Keith Mujuru
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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9 comments

Avatar
CyclingInBeastMode | 5 years ago
1 like

Driving like a berk through a crowded car park would be more of a comparison, this happens a lot more than people seem to appreciate and involves serious injuries.

Avatar
FluffyKittenofT... | 5 years ago
4 likes

I tried searching for cases of drivers driving cars through shops, to see how the penalties compared, but (a) there are a surprisingly large number of them, (b) a lot of them involve fatalities, so an altogether more serious thing, and (c) the drivers seem to be far more likely to be 86 than 16 (with the exception of George Michael, who did actually go to jail)

The age difference implies to me a different form of irresponsibility was involved, i.e. driving when you are too decrepit to do so safely, rather than trying to act 'cool'.

So impossible to make a comparison really. This berk did only get a fine, after all, it would have been a glaring double-standard had they done prison time.

Though arguably they should have been sent on a training course to learn how to 'not cycle through supermarkets'. A "no cycling in supermarkets awareness course".

Avatar
Rick_Rude | 5 years ago
2 likes

This guy is obviously a complete shit as were his mates. Riding around a supermarket and nicking things all for Youtube or social media views. Is this really the sort of bellend we want getting away with it and encouraging more bellends. Look at those Ryan Taylor and Ally Law twats spawning loads of wannabe idiots to break into places and do whatever they feel like. 

Please don't conflate yourselves as cyclists with these twats. These are the sort of shits that would have you off your bike on a secluded path and nick it. 

Avatar
Hirsute | 5 years ago
2 likes

Laughable that it is dangerous cycling when so few motorists are charged with dangerous driving.
How many people are fined for abusive language? Could solve the debt problem!

Avatar
bobbinogs | 5 years ago
6 likes

Am I reading that wrong?  Fined nearly a grand for riding a bike through a supermarket and swearing a bit...and no one appears to have been harmed?  I am not supporting the lads for one second but that seems madness when compared to the average "you have been very naughty car driver" scolding when a cyclist gets knocked off their bike, etc.

Avatar
CyclingInBeastMode replied to bobbinogs | 5 years ago
3 likes

Bobbinogs wrote:

Am I reading that wrong?  Fined nearly a grand for riding a bike through a supermarket and swearing a bit...and no one appears to have been harmed?  I am not supporting the lads for one second but that seems madness when compared to the average "you have been very naughty car driver" scolding when a cyclist gets knocked off their bikes, etc.

Yup, the differential in punishment is incredible, this should be seen as police constables and indeed magistrates not applying the law "without favour" as per their swon oath/attestation. And yet it seems all too often that people on bikes are treated with 'ill will' and other criminals with favour doing same or even worse acts who get off with a nod and a wink. 

This is the judicial oath (attestation is similar without the god bit) " I [name] do swear by Almighty God that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second in the office of ________ , and I will do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this realm, without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

How is that oath not being broken when the punishments are so tilted against people on bikes and motorists for the mostpart(but also pedestrians) are treated completed differently, it's not just perverse it's breaching basic human rights to fairness within the law!

Avatar
brooksby | 5 years ago
7 likes

Quote:

A teenager who was part of a group of youths that cycled through an Asda store in Brighton has been fined £440 for dangerous cycling and £440 for using threatening or abusive words.

Compare and contrast:

WMP wrote:

Taking a risk? We can’t be everywhere, but cameras can; dashcam, helmet or mobile phone. Driver in this clip was sent on a driver improvement course due to previous clean record. Don’t risk it.

Hmm... 

 

Avatar
pockstone | 5 years ago
7 likes

It'll be interesting to compare this case with any punishment meted out to those who are driving round the Midlands at the moment, pushing people off their bikes. If they end up... or put a tenth of the amount of effort into...catching them

Avatar
Grahamd replied to pockstone | 5 years ago
8 likes

pockstone wrote:

It'll be interesting to compare this case with any punishment meted out to those who are driving round the Midlands at the moment, pushing people off their bikes. If they end up... or put a tenth of the amount of effort into...catching them

Or if the police put even a modicum  of effort into tracking down and prosecuting the piece of $hit that threatened the young lad cycling on the pavement this week with "threatening and abusive words".

 

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