Beckenham and Bromley teenage thugs sentenced for Widmore Road attack on elderly man

Christopher Graney, aged 19, of Mayfair Close, Beckenham, and Samantha Fenton, aged 19, of Homefield Road, Bromley, attacked the 78-year-old man in Widmore Road, Bromley, on October 15 last year.

The elderly victim was waiting at a bus stop late in the evening when Graney and Fenton drove past.

Judge Stephen Waller told Croydon Crown Court: "You, Graney, were driving the car in an erratic and dangerous manner.

"It seems the victim made some sort of gesture to you to turn on your lights.

"Fenton said to you: 'Are you going to let him get away with that?'

"You drove back and stopped the car. You got out and knocked him to the ground and kicked and punched him.

"He was obviously a defenceless old man.

"You, Fenton, then got out of the car. You hit him so hard with your fist that it caused an injury to your hand.

"Graney, a witness saw you stand back preparing to take a flying kick at the victim."

After the attack the pair jumped back in the car and fled the scene, and were arrested a short while later at Fenton's home.

They had denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm throughout their trial, but were convicted by an 11-1 jury majority last month (March 12).

Judge Waller told the court: "Such an attack on an elderly man could have led to very serious injuries.

"He was a particularly vulnerable victim and it was a sustained assault.

"During the trial neither of you showed the slightest bit of remorse.

"This was an attack on a man who was minding his own business.

"No one of that age ever makes a full recovery from that kind of attack.

"His life will never be same again."

Graney and Fenton were sentenced to two-and-a-half years each in a young offenders' institute.

Graney was given a further six months for another assault he committed on August 27 2011, when he attacked a 28-year-old man with a metal drain cover in Croydon Road, Beckenham.

The pair are expected to serve half of their sentences.