BURST
Five youths involved in a swarming attack of a 13-year-old girl in Kelowna girl last year have pleaded guilty, according to a Crown counsel spokesperson.
The violent assault which left the girl unconscious in September at Gyro Beach Park was captured on video and shared online, leading to the arrest of all five teenagers.
They cannot be named under youth protection laws.
Crown spokesperson Ann Seymour confirmed in an email that one person entered a guilty plea for assault on Jan. 20 and was sentenced on April 25 to a two-year probation order.
Guilty pleas have since been entered by the other four young people: Two in April and two on Tuesday.
The other four have not yet been sentenced and are scheduled to appear in court on June 12, June 24 and July 8.
At the time of the assault, Mounties said it was one of several incidents of youth crime, including assault and mischief, near the beachfront park in the city.
Investigators said about 30 youths witnessed the incident at the beach, located on Lakeshore Drive, at about 8:30 p.m. on Sept. 27.
Most failed to intervene, instead using their phones to record the assault. As police arrived, the perpetrators and witnesses fled.
Police thanked the two youths who phoned police and tried to intervene, saying they “showed compassion and made the right decision.”
They asked the public to stop sharing and circulating the video because it was degrading with the intent to humiliate.
With files from Joe Ruttle