FILE PHOTO - Orchard Park Shopping Centre in Kelowna.

(CARLI BERRY / iNFOnews.ca)

A Kelowna teenager who with his friends swarmed a 12-year-old boy at Orchard Park Mall before pulling a knife, has been sentenced in a criminal youth court.

He was 14 at the time and was arrested after his group started picking on a random 12-year-old they met at the mall in October 2023.

On Dec. 30 at the Kelowna courthouse, the now 15-year-old, who was the only person convicted out of the group, pleaded guilty to robbery.

A court-ordered publication ban prevents the accused and the victim's names from being published.

The case isn't to be confused with a similar incident in the fall, when a 13-year-old Kelowna girl was badly hurt in a swarming attack that was filmed and shared on social media. The attack caused outrage and five youths have since been charged.

In this case, the court heard how the 12-year-old didn't know any of the teens who began following him around the mall. The 12-year-old headed to the washrooms where they then swarmed him.

They demanded his belongings and the accused pulled a knife.

At that point, a security guard entered the washroom and the group dispersed.

The accused was later recognized from CCTV footage and arrested.

READ MORE: Mob mentality at work in teen swarming attack: Prof

Attending with his mother, the 15-year-old sat in the courtroom as lawyers said he was having a difficult childhood.

The teen has ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, autism, and substance use issues, although is capable of sobriety when needed.

He has behavioural problems at home and at school, although he hasn't attended for two years and once self-harmed to avoid going to school.

The court heard how he was disinterested in voluntary counselling and had told a youth worker he wanted to live in the bush and die by 50.

He was also accused of selling cannabis.

"I don’t know what to say," the teen replied when asked if he wanted to say anything.

"Not to do anything like this again," he replied when asked what he had learnt from the situation.

The teen was sentenced to 12 months probation and will have to adhere to a variety of conditions from youth workers. He'll also have to apologize to the 12-year-old victim.

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