South Shields teen involved in large fight at train station that spilled across three platforms

Aaron Walsh was involved in a clash involving three separate groups at Margate railway station in Kent in June 2020.

Newcastle Crown Court heard before the trouble, Walsh and pals had been at the beach, "behaving as drunken louts, drinking, kicking sand at people, barging into people".

Prosecutor Alec Burns said there had been some "homophobic and racist slurs" at the seafront before the group headed to the railway station at around 5pm.

Mr Burns said at the station, trouble spilled across three platforms and in the underpass and Walsh was seen "throwing punches" and fighting.

A group in Brazilian football shirts were told to "go back to your own country".

The court heard the incident lasted around 10 to 15 minutes.

Walsh, 19, of Imeary Street, South Shields, admitted affray.

Jennifer Coxon, defending, said Walsh has been "doing really well" in the almost two years since the offence.

Mr Recorder Tony Hawks told Walsh: "You were part of a group of youths behaving in a loutish manner, no doubt drinking, shouting, generally getting on everyone's nerves.

"It ended up a scene of public disorder near a railway station.

"What you have got to understand is that an offence of affray, indeed any public order offence, is serious because of the affect it has on members of the public, who are either victims of it or have the misfortune to see louts like you fighting and throwing bottles and chanting."

The judge said Walsh had an "encouraging" pre-sentence report from the probation service and he did not want to disrupt the good progress he has made.

Walsh was sentenced to six months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with programme requirements.

The judge told him: "Your future is in your hands."