A teenager pleaded guilty to repeatedly punching another boy near Harrogate College on Thursday (July 24).

Liam Bacon admitted one count of wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent during a hearing at Harrogate Magistrates Court.

Prosecutor Sarah Tyrer told the court Bacon and the named victim were both pupils at Harrogate College at the time of the offence, which happened on October 23, 2023, when they were both youths.

Bacon and the teenage victim both left college at around 2.50pm that day and separately made their way towards Hornbeam Park train station.

The court heard Bacon was walking behind the victim, who was walking with a group of friends, when Bacon shouted at him.

When the victim turned around, Bacon, who is now 18, “punched the victim multiple times”.

He split the boy’s eyebrow and snapped his front tooth, which required emergency dental surgery, the court was told.

Bacon, of Cautley Drive in Killinghall, made a full admission to the police, Ms Tyrer said, adding he is of previous good character.

She told the magistrates Bacon, who was visibly upset in court, would have been dealt with as a youth had the case not taken so long to come to court.

Victim ‘poked fun’ at Bacon

Martin Townend, defending, told the magistrates “heaven knows what the delay is” in the case, adding Bacon was not interviewed until six months after the assault.

"The court should take Liam's age at the time and how it would've been dealt with into account", he said. 

The two boys knew each other at college, Mr Townend said, but added the victim would “poke fun” at Bacon and circulated videos of him.

The nature of the videos was not disclosed in court.

Mr Townend claimed the victim made a number of comments about Bacon, including calling him “autistic” and “a paedophile”.

The assault was impulsive and a short-lived, the court heard. 

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Bacon will return to Harrogate Magistrates Court on September 4.